


A Royal Pain

by TheAvengerFairy



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Divergence - Voltron: Legendary Defender, F/M, Redemption, Slow Burn, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 128,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22071352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAvengerFairy/pseuds/TheAvengerFairy
Summary: Equal yet opposite.Complimentary yet repelling.Unexpected yet perfect.
Relationships: Allura/Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron)/Original Female Character(s), Lotor (Voltron) & Original Female Character(s), Lotor (Voltron)/OC, Lotor (Voltron)/Original Character, Lotor (Voltron)/Original Female Character(s), Shiro (Voltron)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

The Ulippa System was many things: cold, dark, boring, and lonely being some of its most prominent traits. With a heavy sigh, Throk cast a glance at the clock on the wall to see only a few dobashes had passed since the last time he checked, causing him groan loudly before slouching down in his seat. He was miserable out here in a system where nothing happened and only a sprinkling of sentries to keep him company, and he had Prince Lotor to thank. The very thought of the cocky emperor pro tem caused his hands to clench into fists and his teeth to grind as he was filled with bitterness. He knew full well why he was sent out to this dreary outpost by himself and it certainly wasn't because his services were needed here. Lotor had sent him here to keep him immobilized, to prevent him from causing any uproar.

"Cursed brat. I'll surely repay him in full for this." Throk grumbled under his breath as he slammed his fist down on the dashboard in front of him before returning his gaze to the clock once again. As he watched the hands slowly move according to their specific unit, his eyes slowly started to grow heavy till they finally slid closed, the Galra's head nodding forward as he started to drift off to sleep. However, just as the final bits of his consciousness were being immersed in the realm of dreams, the loud screeching of the post's alarm system jolted him awake. After recovering from his initial shock, he turned his eyes to the right side of the dashboard, where the feed from one of the security cameras in the northeastern main hall on the second level showed footage of a dozen or so assorted aliens hacking several of the sentries to pieces. Eyes widening, he immediately pressed the button on the left side of the dashboard that would send out a distress signal to Prince Lotor and any nearby Galra ships, but to his surprise and horror, the command was rejected and he instead received a painful shock from the dashboard before it turned off completely.

"What in blazes is going on?! Turn back on, you piece of crap!" He exclaimed angrily as he repeatedly hit the dashboard over and over but it did not respond. Cursing, Throk grabbed his blade and ran out of the command center, heading towards the stairs since the elevators would undoubtedly be nonoperational as well. However, just as he threw open the door, a swift blow to the chest sent him tumbling backward, hitting the floor with a loud smack. In the now open doorway loomed one of the last creatures Throk would have expected to see roaming open space: an unusually tall female Syrose with ginger hair, freckles, aqua-colored scales, and sea blue eyes. Clenching his jaw, Throk attempted to raise his blade, but the woman swiftly knocked it out of his hand before pinning him to the floor with her boot, the sheer force of her leg forcing the air from his lungs.

"What have you found, Reiya?" A voice cooed from behind the woman.

The Syrose girl turned her body slightly towards the newcomer, enabling Throk to catch a glimpse. Blues irises with slightly lighter blue scleras. Long magenta hair wound into a tight braid. Alluring curves that made it quite clear that this was a female. Blush pink skin dotted with darker pink flowing designs, circles, and dots. However, the feature that stuck out the most was the being's massive butterfly wings that glistened bright pink and black in the light.

 _"A Lepidoptan?! What's a Lepidoptan doing out here?!"_ Throk wondered as he gazed up at her.

"Hmm, seems this bucket of rust houses at least one lifeform after all." The Lepidoptan woman cooed as she knelt down next to Throk before roughly grabbing his chin. "How unfortunate for you."

"Who are you?! What are you doing aboard this outpost?!" Throk spat fiercely as he jerked free from her grasp and continued to squirm about beneath Reiya's foot.

"I thought that would've been obvious, big guy. Don't you know an enemy when you see one? No wonder you were sent to guard this miserable place. You're utterly pathetic." The Lepidoptan sneered. Rising back to her full height, the woman looked Reiya in the eye and stated, "Load him onto the ship with the rest of the loot while Widget and I go see what we can get from the computer database here."

The Syrose woman nodded mutely and silently watched the Lepidoptan and another shorter, light chartreuse-skinned alien dashed in the direction from which Throk had come. Once they had disappeared from sight, she grabbed Throk's discarded sword and hung it on her belt before swiftly punching in the temple, knocking him out cold.

\-------------------

As his eyes slowly eased open again, Throk grimaced as his head gave a painful throb before he proceeded to glance around at his new surroundings. He appeared to be in the windowless hold of a ship, surrounded by dozens of crates labeled with the Galra Empire's insignia. His hands had been wrapped around a pole before being securely fastened with a pair of heavy duty handcuffs, and a duo consisting of a shifty-eyed Unilu and a hulkish Balmeran stood guard of the what seemed to be the room's only exit. Immediately, everything became very clear to Throk. These weren't just any old resistance group or horde of mischief makers; these were none other than pirates.

Clenching his teeth, Throk tugged at his bonds to test their strength before grumbling a string of foul remarks under his breath and slouching down where he sat.

"What's the matter? Are your cuffs too tight?"

Throk's eyes immediately snapped up to see the Lepidoptan standing in front of him, her hands planted sassily on her hips and her lips twisted into a mocking smirk. Immediately, his temper shot up like a rocket and a beastly growl resonated from the depths of his throat.

"You're going to pay for stealing from the Galra Empire. Once Prince Lotor hears about this, you and everyone else on this ship will be dead or imprisoned within the hour!" He barked fiercely, bearing his teeth at her like a dog. The Lepidoptan merely raised an amused eyebrow at him as the twinkle in her eye grew brighter.

"I have a feeling Prince Lotor won't waste much of his time coming after these measly resources, much less you. Don't worry though; Galra slaves are quite popular on the black market at the moment." she cooed cheekily.

Throk's eyes widened slightly. A slave? Serving at that secluded outpost had been bad enough, but becoming a slave? He would rather serve as a footsoldier again than stoop as low as to become a slave. He had to find a way out of this and fast.

Suddenly, an idea, a golden idea, popped into his head that caused an eerie grin to spread across his face.

"I don't know. Selling me on the black market might not be the best idea. I could be of much more useful to you than you think." he purred raspily.

The Lepidoptan's expression twisted from an amused grin to a suspicious scowl. "I doubt it. What could you possibly have to offer me that is worth more than your price on the black market?"

"Information. Vital information. Information that will enable you to raid larger ships with more worth than these scraps. I might even be able to find out if Lotor will be on any of the ships. I'm sure he would fetch a much higher price on the market than I ever would. However, I will only do this for you if you release me in return. How about it?" Throk smirked as he practically watched the gears start turning in the girl's mind.

"Why would you betray Lotor? This could very well be a trap." the Lepidoptan mused as she eyed the Galra warrior warily.

"Lotor left me to rot at that outpost. I merely wish to return the favor." Throk replied smugly. "Do we have a deal or don't we?"

The Lepidoptan grew silent for a moment as she mulled over his offer. It seemed a little too good to be true, but if was being sincere then this was an opportunity she couldn't afford to waste.

"Fine, but you are staying down here till I have the prince. After I have him, I will let you go." she answered finally.

"I understand." Throk replied calmly while looking a little too pleased with himself. Growing slightly uncomfortable, the Lepidoptan turned on her heel and swiftly made her way towards the door, the other two pirates offering her respectful nods as she passed. Throk watched her with smiling eyes as she left.

 _"This is perfect. I'll deliver this band of rebels right to Lotor's doorstep. Perhaps he will then return me to the main ship or at least a closer outpost."_ he smirked to himself. _"Stupid Lepidoptan girl. You're going to regret this day for the rest of your life."_

Meanwhile, as the doors to the hull slid shut, the Lepidoptan girl sighed and shook her head dismissively.

 _"Stupid Galra. You think you have me right where you want me, don't you? You're in for a rude surprise."_ she chuckled to herself before she headed back to the ship's control room.


	2. Chapter 2

_21 Quintents Later..._

Crinkled brows. A deep frown. Narrowed eyes. This was a rare sight for Ezor, Acxa, Narti, and Zetherid. For the first time in ages, Lotor looked troubled as he slowly scanned the reports he had received on several Galra outposts over and over again, pictures of destroyed sentries and vacant storage rooms dotting the pages as well.

"And we are certain that Voltron has been nowhere near these bases during the attack?" he stated.

"Yes sir. Most of the time they weren't even in the same system." Zetherid confirmed.

Lotor grew silent for a moment before setting aside the files and resting his chin against his clasped hands. "This is troubling indeed. If this continues, we might actually have a problem."

"What should we do?" Acxa asked.

"I say we figure out where they'll strike next and confront them head on! We'll show them what happens when you mess with the Galra!" Zetherid exclaimed, pounding her fist against her chest like an ape.

"Yes and in the process we will scare away potential allies. We must be discrete in dealing with this matter." Lotor purred before rising to his feet. "Ezor, Narti, prepare my personal fighter. I've been cooped up in here for far too long and a solo hunt is just what the doctor ordered."

Acxa, Ezor, Zetherid, and Kova, serving as Narti's eyes, all shared a somewhat alarmed glance before Acxa hastily cleared her throat.

"Prince Lotor, are you sure that is a good idea? Perhaps one of us should go with you-"

"Are you saying you doubt my abilities, Acxa?" Lotor interjected, eying his general warily.

"N-No, of course not! I was merely saying we should be cautious."

Lotor's lips curved into his signature smile that left Acxa feeling both relieved and unnerved at the same time. "Your concern is appreciated but unnecessary. The larger our numbers, the easier it will be for our opponents to learn of our presence. You four will stay here and cover for me while I'm gone. Tell no one I have left in case a spy or informant is among us and definitely don't let Haggar learn of my absence. The last thing I need is another one of her lectures."

Seeing no other choice but to comply, Acxa bowed slightly and replied, "Yes, Prince Lotor."

Satisfied with her answer, Lotor turned on his heels and swiftly exited the room, Ezor and Narti following closely behind him. However, before she could disappear, Acxa quickly grabbed Ezor's arm and pulled her aside.

"I still have a bad feeling about this. Place a tracker on his ship when he isn't looking." she whispered to her friend.

Ezor flashed her comrade a frown. "Okay, but if I get caught, I'm telling him it was your idea."

"I understand. Now hurry up and go before he gets suspicious."

After Ezor had scurried off in pursuit of Narti and Lotor, Acxa released the heavy sigh she had been holding in and picked up the files Lotor had been examining, opening them and flipping through the many pages detailing what had happened. Zetherid raised an eyebrow.

"What's your problem?" she grunted.

"I'm just worried that Lotor isn't taking this as seriously as he should." Acxa confessed, setting aside the files before making her way over to the dashboard and gazing out the large window at the star-speckled canvas of space.

"What's the big deal? It's just a group of measly space pirates that managed to take down a couple of our more sparingly protected outposts. Not much of a threat if you ask me." Zetherid smirked, leaning against the wall with her arms folded across her broad chest.

"We still shouldn't underestimate them. We already made that mistake once with Voltron." Acxa retorted, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Whatever. I think you're just being paranoid. I'm just disappointed that we don't get to be part of the action."

"Of course you are." Acxa grumbled to herself. Hearing the doors behind her slide open, she glanced over her shoulder to see Ezor and Narti had returned to the main deck. She quickly locked eyes with Ezor, who gave her a simple nod confirming that the deed had been done. Returning her gaze to the screen, Acxa hastily pulled up the tracker's signal and watched as the little blinking red dot moved across the screen.

"I still think this is a bad idea." Ezor commented with a frown.

"We're doing this to keep him safe, Ezor. It's our job."

"He won't be happy if he finds out though."

"He doesn't have to be. We're supposed to look out for him even if he doesn't like it."

"You sound like an overbearing mother." Zetherid remarked while Narti nodded in agreement.

A faint blush dusted Acxa's cheeks. "I'm just trying to do my job, nothing more."

Ezor's lips curved into a devilish sneer as she peered at Acxa's face. "Are you sure there's not some other reason? Maybe something a little more personal."

Acxa swallowed the fist-sized knot in her throat and continued to stare at the screen.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Yes you do." Ezor cooed teasingly. "It's alright, Acxa. We all know that you like Lotor."

"You do?!"

"We do now."

It took a second for Acxa to realize that she had been tricked, and as the information finally clicked in her head, she released a frustrated scream and began chasing after Ezor, who giggled with delight as she sprinted back and forth throughout the room before finally turning invisible and disappearing. Meanwhile, Narti and Zetherid watched the chase with a hint of amusement at Acxa's rare loss of composure.

"I'm going to remember this, you little brat!" Acxa finally spat before storming back over to the to the dashboard. Immediately, her brows scrunched together in confusion when she saw that the red dot had disappeared from the map.

"What happened? Where's the beacon?" she exclaimed.

"Seems Ezor wasn't as sneaky as she thought. Lotor must've shut it off." Zetherid mused.

Acxa grit her teeth. "Argh, screw his orders. I'm going after him!"

\------------------------------

The Galra base on the planet of Ogara was relatively quiet, giving it a sense of eeriness as the marching feet of sentries echoed out into the darkness of the forests below the mountain where the outpost sat. A few live guards also stood watch, but they were sparsely scattered throughout the building so it felt like they were completely alone on the planet with only artificial companions for company. In other words, it was perfect, and as the Lepidoptan pirate captain made gazed at the base through the one-of-a-kind binoculars Widget had whipped up for her, her lips curved into a confident smile. Stashing the binoculars in the sack tied to her waist, she turned to face her crew, which was short two members due to Widget and Reiya staying behind to keep an eye on Throk, and cleared her throat to get their attention. Her men all turned their gazes to her and their whispered murmuring ceased as they awaited her command.

"Our information states that his building has two entrances on the western and southern sides of the building and a hanger located on the eastern side. Air vents on the roof will give us a fourth way in as well. We'll split up into four groups and come in from all entrances. Taicus, the hanger is going to be the most heavily guarded entrance so I want you there; take Oli and Venicess with you and wait for my signal."

The Balmeran, the Unilu, and an alien with orange scales, six eyes, two tails, and lizard-like fans on the side of his head all nodded in understanding, clapping each other on the back and smiling. The other members of the group shot them disapproving glances till they fell silent again so their captain could continue.

"Ika, you and Coban will head in from the western entrance while Ratch and Micki come in from the south. Fletch and I will come get in through the roof. If everything goes according to plan, we will rendezvous in the hanger and wait there for Widget and Reiya to pick us up along with our goods. However, should something go wrong, get out whatever way you can and then converge back here in twelve vargas. Does everyone understand?"

All heads nodded this time and the men separated themselves into their designated groups before returning their attention to the Lepidoptan, who now stood alongside a lanky alien with two pairs of feathery wings on his back and blank white eyes.

"Make sure to use your comlinks only when necessary to leave the channel open. We don't want another incident like last time, do we, Coban." the captain stated, staring pointed at the Puigan who bashfully avoided eye contact with her before she continued. "While we may have a relatively clear picture of what we're up against, anything could happen in there, so as always, in case any of us don't make it out of there, it has been an honor and a privilege to work alongside you. Death to the Galra Empire!" the woman exclaimed as she unsheathed her sword and held it up in the air. Likewise, her companions unsheathed their own blades and held them up as well so that the tips of the swords all touched.

"Death to the Galra Empire and long life to Lady Klara!" they echoed, grins on their lips and bright glimmers in their eyes. Klara couldn't help but feel a sense of pride swell in her chest as she gazed at each and every one of them; truly she had been blessed with the best crew in the entire universe.

After sheathing her sword, Klara beckoned for Fletch to follow her and hurried off into the trees, occasionally glancing back at her rather distractible companion to ensure he was still following her. Keeping to the shadows, the two quietly slithered up the side of the mountain that was still blanketed in forest and took up a perch in the branches of one of the largest trees that could have supported Klara's entire team on one branch. For about an varga they sat and waited, listening expectantly for their digital eyes and ears to give them the confirmation they needed before engaging the enemy. Finally, the com crackled to life, and Widget's voice rang clearly in the pirates' ears.

"Okay, I've hacked into their system. Is everyone in position?" she asked.

"Yes, we're all ready."

"Okay. I can only keep things down for a grand total of ten to fifteen dobashes so you guys better be quick. Disabling the security systems in three...two...one....now!"

Immediately, all the sentries in the proximity collapsed with a loud clattering and all the doors slid open.

"Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!" Klara ordered before spreading her large butterfly wings and taking off into the sky, Fletch following close behind her. As the sounds of blasters and explosions echoed below them, the two descended onto the roof and landed in front of the building's two main air shafts. Giving each other a nod, they both wrenched open one shaft and leaped inside before crawling in separate directions. Klara held her breath to prevent her from coughing due to the dust and giving away her position to any nearby Galra as she dragged herself on her belly through the narrow vents. After about eight four dobashes, she managed to find an exit into what appeared to be a closet and kicked off the vent cover before gracefully dropping to the floor. However, it would seem that she wasn't alone in the closet, and hearing stirring behind her, she spun around to see a gagged and unconscious Galra soldier curled up in a fetal position behind her with no more than a thin, dirty cloth keeping him decent. Confused, Klara turned her attention to the armor stacked neatly in the far corner of the closet, crouching down on her haunches to get a better look at it. From what she could tell, it was far better made than any ordinary soldier's armor and quite beautiful in appearance with its dark coat dotted with blue and orange accents. Klara's frown deepened as she picked up a helmet next to the armor and gently knocked on it.

 _"Are we not the only ones here? Is there another invader?"_ she wondered.

Suddenly, a loud yelp from Fletch pulled Klara from her thoughts, and she set the helmet aside before kicking open the door and sprinting out into the hallway to see what had happened. Fletch, who had apparently crawled into another closet not too far down the hall, was currently pinned to the wall by at least four Galra soldiers, blood trickling from a wound in his right ear and dripping onto his wings, staining the beautiful feathers. Clenching her teeth, Klara unsheathed her sword and charged the soldiers, gracefully vaulting over the shoulders of one of them and slicing another's gun in two. As the other Galra turned their guns onto her, she slung her arm around the neck of the now unarmed soldiers and launched herself into the air, using her momentum to swing around in a circle and kick two of the soldiers to the ground before setting her feet back on the ground and flipping her mount over her shoulder. With only one soldier left standing, she hastily swiped his legs out from under him and yanked his gun from his hand as he fell, leaving him to join his friends in a groaning pile on the floor. Before any of them could get up and collect themselves, Klara retrieved a capsule from her pocket and slammed it against the ground, blanketing the Galra soldiers into a cloud of knockout gas, making them cough and wheeze loudly before they finally passed out. After collecting their guns, she raced over to Fletch's side and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up at her. Although the wound didn't appear serious, she could tell it had greatly disoriented her friend. Deciding he was not fit for battle at the moment, Klara placed the guns in his arms before locking eyes with him again.

"See that closet down there? There's a man and some armor inside. Take the armor and these guns and hide in the forest till I call for you, understand?" she stated, pointing at the closet door to make sure Fletch knew which was the right one. The feathered being weakly nodded his head before stumbling in the direction of the closet, leaving Klara to fight by herself, not that that concerned her in the slightest. Retrieving some made of wire from her belt, Klara hastily tied up the four unconscious Galra soldiers and threw them into another closet, locking the door behind them. Once that was done, she sprinted down the hallway and raised her finger to her earpiece.

"Widget, where am I exactly?" she asked.

"Hmm, looks like you're in the basement. The main storage unit is a few hallways down and on your right." Widget replied.

"Thanks. How are the others doing?"

"Fletch got out safely. Oli broke one of his swords, but he, Taicus, and Venicess have successfully taken the hanger and are now helping the others with clearing the main floor. According to the computer database, you should be the only person on the lower floor now that you handled those four guards."

"Good. This should be a walk in the park then. I'll let you know when I've secured the bounty." Klara remarked before ending the transmission and allowing her hand to drop to her side. However, as she sped passed the other hallways and rounded the corner heading to the storage room, she skidded to stop when she saw a lone Galra soldier standing in front of the doorway, his helmet concealing his face. Unlike the other soldiers, however, this Galra head a gleaming blade, a beautiful one at that, in his hand instead of a common gun, and judging by how his stance and how he held the blade, it was clear he had been trained in using it. Pursing her lips, Klara raised her blade and took a step towards the soldier who was not supposed to be there, and he in turn took a step towards her. Klara's scowl deepened and with a mighty grunt, she hurled herself at her opponent, but when he thrusted at her, she dodged and tried to slash his stomach. However, the soldier seemed to have predicted her move and easily blocked her blade with his own before raising his elbow and slamming it into her collarbone, causing her to stumble back.

"Hmm, not bad. I guess I'm actually going to have to make an effort this time." Klara smiled, her eyes twinkled as she unexpectedly returned her blade to its sheath before positioning herself for another attack.

Without hesitation, the soldier swung at her but Klara gracefully ducked and grabbed his arm before twirling underneath it and delivering a sharp kick to the side of his jaw, disrupting his balance. However, the soldier also seemed be quite crafty and grabbed Klara by the throat, pinning her up against the wall and pressing his blade to her throat. Hissing, Klara spat in the man's face before raising both her legs and kicking him in the gut, knocking him back. Grabbing hold of his arm once more, she twisted it so he dropped the blade and hastily kicked the weapon away so the soldier couldn't pick it up again; meanwhile, her opponent proceeded to grab her arms and slam her down onto the floor, knocking the wind out her. Despite this, Klara managed to wiggle one arm free and ram her elbow into the side of her opponent's head, disorienting him long enough for her to roll over, wrap her legs around his arms and upper torso, and flip them both so she was sitting on top of him. Clenching his teeth, the Galra placed his feet flat on the ground and started to stand up, but Klara simply spread her wings and lifted him off of the ground before folding them again and allowing them both to fall back onto the ground.

Klara chuckled as the Galra groaned beneath her and swiftly grabbed hold of the bottom of his mask. "I'm surprised; you're far better fighter than the other Galra I have met. I am curious to see the face that accompanies such skill. Perhaps I can persuade you to join me instead."

With one swift tug, the helmet easily slid off, and Klara's eyes immediately went wide as the article slipped from between her fingers, hinting the floor with a loud _clank_. Long locks of white silk laid in a halo around Lotor's head as he glared up at the Lepidoptan, blood oozing from a cut on his bottom lip. Klara was speechless as she stared down at Lotor in complete and utter surprise while Lotor squirmed in her grasp, his hand reaching for the blade fastened to her belt. Klara quickly took notice of what he was doing and a smirk graced her lips as she plucked the blade from its place and held it teasingly just above Lotor's head.

"You want this, your royal highness?" she sneered before placing the on the floor next to his head and just out of reach of his hand. Growling, Lotor attempted to stretch his neck and grab the blade's hilt between his teeth but he failed, causing Klara to giggle.

"It would seem that luck is on my side today. I know just what to do with you, Prince Lotor. You are going to be a very big help to me." she sneered, leaning down so her and Lotor's faces were mere inches apart. Clenching his teeth, Lotor tried to bite her windpipe, but Klara quickly grabbed his neck and forced his head back down, her smug expression widening.

"Ah ah ah. I don't know about the Galra, but for my people, ripping out people's throats is considered quite rude. You need to be a good prince and behave yourself or I'll have to knock you out." she cooed as she reached out and cupped Lotor's face in one hand. Lotor immediately jerked his head away and shot her another warning glare. In response, Klara casually reached out her hand and pressed down on a certain spot on Lotor's neck, making him thrash about even more wildly.

"Easy, easy! It's only uncomfortable for a few seconds, I promise. Soon, you won't feel a thing." Klara whispered in Lotor's ear. After another moment or so, the prince's squirming slowed and then ceased completely, meaning he was finally unconscious. With a loud sigh, Klara stood up and retrieved her blade before binding Lotor's hands and feet and propping him against a wall. Judging by the cheering of her crew, they had successfully taken the base, meaning Widget and Reiya were on their way. Smiling, Klara raised her hand and pressed down on her communicator, opening up the channel.

"Guys, you better get down here. You're not going to believe what I found. Also, Reiya, bring my private ship along as well when you come to pick us up."


	3. Chapter 3

When Lotor's mind finally emerged from the darkness of oblivion, the first thing he noticed wasn't the chains around his wrists and ankles or the bright lights blaring at him from all sides but rather the sharp and quite uncomfortable pulling sensation stretching across his scalp. Clenching his teeth, he tried tilting his head in various directions to relieve the tension, but his efforts were in all in vain for the pain continued to linger despite his efforts.

"What's the matter? Did I make your French braid too tight?"

Lotor's gaze immediately snapped up to behold Klara sneering down at him with a look of amusement dancing in her blue eyes like a flame. He had not gotten a good look at her during their fight but now that she stood before him, hands on her hips in a rather sassy manner, he realized she was beautiful in both figure and feature. However, such a thing as beauty was not enough to pardon her from her offenses, and Lotor glanced at her form for no more than a tick before locking gazes with her, pure annoyance radiating off of him like light from a star.

"I suggest you release me now and grovel at my feet for forgiveness. If you do so, I might be willing to spare you from the punishment currently hanging over your head like an ax." he stated coldly.

"That's some big talk considering where you're sitting right now. I think you ought to be more worried about your own neck than mine. Now, do me a favor and hold still so I don't have to bruise your face further." Klara smirked before walking behind Lotor and pulling a simple cloth from her pocket. In one swift motion, she yanked down hard on Lotor's unnaturally tight braid and forced the cloth into his mouth like a bit when he yelped, tying the two ends of the gag securely together at the back of his head to prevent it from slipping off. Giggling, she gave Lotor's hair another playful tug before slinking away towards the outskirts of the dark room.

With his captor gone, Lotor took the chance to try and observe his surroundings, but his efforts proved pointless given that almost everything other than he himself was blanketed in shadows. Squinting his eyes shield them as best he could while also keeping them open, Lotor turned his attention towards the brights lights in front of him and could just barely make out the form of what appeared to be a camera amongst the beaming spotlights. Suddenly, the camera gave a loud beep and the lights somehow managed to grow even brighter than they already were, making Lotor flinch and hiss quietly as his eyes stung.

"Ladies, gentleman, and all creatures of the galaxy, tonight I have a very special offer for you. Now up for auction for a limited time only, we have this fine Galra specimen you see before you. Look familiar to any of you? I thought so." a deep voice droned from somewhere in the darkness. "As always, my men and I accept only cash offers and must inspect the payment prior to the specimen being delivered. You all have three quintents to place your bids. All transactions are final."

Once more, the camera emitted a shrill beeping noise and the bright lights started to dim till Lotor was completely engulfed in darkness. Somewhere nearby, he heard the shuffling of feet and the clanking of various items being moved. Once the noise died down again, the muffled whispers of two or three voices, one of which he was certain belonged to Klara, greeted his ears followed by the shuffling noises again before the lights in the room suddenly flickered back on, making Lotor clamp his eyes shut. When he opened them again, he saw Klara standing in front of him, her arms slung around his neck as she untied his gag.

"Be a good boy and stay quiet or I'll have to put this on you again." she cooed mockingly as she held the gag tauntingly in front of his face.

Lotor said nothing and instead busied himself with examining the room now that he could see. The space was small and windowless with a low ceiling that made it feel like the room was slowly closing in on him. The walls, ceiling, and floor all shone the same color of silver, and the air in the room was quite cold, making it feel like the prince had been stuck in some kind of massive freezer. The Lepidoptan's companions were nowhere in sight, nor were the camera or the spotlights; the only sign that they had been there at all were a couple of cables strewn haphazardly action the barren floor.

"Looking for an escape route?" Klara remarked upon observing his wandering eyes. When she received no answer, she grabbed Lotor's chin and forced him to look at her. Scowling, the prince immediately spat in her face, making her stumble back. Gritting her teeth, she brushed off of her creek then unsheathed her blade, pressing the tip to Lotor's throat.

"You are lucky live Galra are worth more than dead ones or I wouldn't hesitate to kill you, your highness." she growled. Lotor only glared back her before looking away, obvious bored with the conversation.

"Amusing." He mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"You obviously believe you are actually intimidating. How cute and naive to think someone like I would actually be afraid of you." Lotor sneered as his lips curved into a cheeky grin.

"Watch your tongue, Galra, or I might just cut it out."

"You can try but I advise against it if you want to keep all of your fingers."

Klara's face was starting to flush bright red. "Listen here, you little piece of trash, you may be a big shot amongst the Galra but here you are only worth whatever someone is willing to pay for your hide, which will still be considerably high even if you are somewhat battered, so I would watch it if I were you."

"Is that your idea of a threat? My, you still have much to learn. You have turned out to be a much bigger disappointment than I expected."

"If I'm such a big letdown then how come you're my prisoner?"

"I was wondering the same thing myself. I must have been more tired than I thought when we fought; perhaps I should have taken that nap after all..."

By now, smoke was practically pouring out of Klara's ears in waterfalls as she gripped the gag so tightly her knuckles were almost as white as Lotor's hair. Grabbing him by his braid once more, she stuffed the cloth back in his mouth and died it much tighter this time just to spite him. Once she had done, she gave the braid a final yank so Lotor was looking up at her.

"You may be good at smack talk, your highness, but that's all you've got going for you. You're on my turf where the only rules are my rules, so you better shape up or things are going to get very ugly very fast."

Lotor only rolled his eyes before jerking his hair free from her grasp and looking away from her. With a loud huff, Klara rose to her feet and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Once he was certain she was gone, Lotor allowed his shoulders to relax and lifted his eyes to gaze at the ceiling as he became lost in thought.

_"Well, I've gotten myself into a bit of a predicament, haven't I? This woman may have a bit of a short fuse, but, given how secure this room is, she is not stupid in the slightest. Perhaps I should have brought Acxa along after all. I'm never going to hear the end of this from her or Haggar, the little witch. If I want to be able to reclaim my dignity, I best get out of here as soon as possible and punish this wench for her offense...Quiznak, it's cold in here!"_

\------------------------

Hearing the lone door creak open, Lotor lowered his gaze to see Klara once again standing before him, a smirk on her face, a sack in her hand, and a blanket slung over her shoulder. A heavy, fur-lined jacket had been added to her outfit and her long hair now hung loose, spilling over her shoulders and down her back and shielding her neck from the room's now insufferable cold. Meanwhile, Lotor sat shivering as his breath turned to steam in front of his eyes.

"Chilly?" Klara smirked, pulling her jacket a little tighter around herself just to annoy her captive. "You cannot believe how surprised I was to learn that Galra hate the cold despite having hearts of ice. Oh, the irony!"

Lotor merely glared up at Klara as she chuckled to herself. After spreading the blanket out on the ground, she plopped down onto it and began rummaging around in the sack she had brought.

"I was going to give you some food since I'm sure you're hungry by now, but given that you still haven't adjusted your attitude, I think I might just eat it instead." She purred as she pulled out a thermos and unscrewed the lid. Immediately, a puff of hot steam rose into the air as Klara took a long sip of the hot liquid. Judging the by various colorful leaves he could just barely catch a glimpse of as they floated about inside the canister, Lotor assumed she was enjoying some kind of tea or soup. Against his wishes, his stomach emitted several loud growls while his mouth started to salivate, but the prince forced himself to remain steadfast and turned his gaze away from the food.

"So that's how you want to play, huh? Fine by me." Klara crowed before fishing out another thermos and opening it all well. This time, the smell of grains and vegetables drifted through the air, causing Lotor's insides to groan, but the prince still refused to even glance at the food. Wincing as the scraping of silverware filled his ears and the smell of the food continued to tickle his nose, Lotor held his breath and closed his eyes as he struggled to ignore the growing pain in the pit of his stomach. Though he would never admit it, this was quite hard for him, for as a prince, his needs were always met and he never felt hungry for more than five second before a plate of hot food was set in front of him. However, he had to resist; he was no fool and would not forsake what little dignity he still had for a quick meal.

Meanwhile, Klara was thoroughly enjoying herself as she watched Lotor struggle. It was obvious that his warrior instincts were clashing with his princely ones and at the moment the former was starting to give way.

 _"Not so tough now, are you?"_ she snickered to herself as she reached into the sack and retrieved a small box and the final blow to Lotor's pleading stomach. Smirking devilishly, she opened the box and held it out just far enough for Lotor to see.

"Oh Lotor~! Are you sure you don't want this?"

 _"Don't look, Lotor. Don't look."_ Lotor coached himself, but alas the temptation was too great and the prince allowed one eye to slide open ever so slightly to behold a tiny cake no larger than his palm resting in the box. Immediately, his willpower shattered and he leaned down to try and grab the cake with his teeth, but Klara shifted yanked it away before he could even come close to touching it.

"I had heard you had a sweet tooth. However, it wouldn't be right for you to eat cake when you didn't eat your dinner first. More for me, I guess." she teased as she plunged her fork into the cake and brought a bite to her lips, giggling as Lotor's nostrils flared. Closing her eyes, she released a soft, elated moan as she slowly chewed the cake, occasionally running her tongue dramatically over her lips for extra fun. As she took another exaggerated bite, she could hear Lotor calling her a thousand unpleasant things through his gag, causing her to nearly choke on the cake as she tried not to laugh.

"Hmm....maybe I should be nice and let you have some....but then again you did try to rip my throat out like a savage animal." she sneered. "I'm getting quite full though; I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it. I guess I'll just have to throw it away..."

Lotor's eyes narrowed into angry slits as his hands clenched into trembling fists. Raising an eyebrow, Klara set the cake aside and rose to her feet, slowly approaching Lotor with a sassy sway of your hips.

"No one beats me at my own game, your majesty. No one." she hissed in ear before turning to the door and calling out, "You can come in now."

The door slowly swung open and Oli, the Unilu member of Klara's crew, sauntered in with a steaming bowl of gruel in one hand while another hand plugged his nose. Lotor grimaced as the smell of his "meal" reached him, much to Klara's pleasure as she untied his gag.

"You didn't think I was actually going to give you some kind of feast, did you? I can't afford to let you get pudgy before I sell you off. Don't worry, what this gruel lacks in taste it makes up for in healthy vitamins and other good stuff. Enjoy!" she chirped as Oli set the bowl in Lotor's lap and walked away.

"And how exactly am I supposed to eat this disgusting sludge with my hands bound and no silverware?" Lotor grumbled flatly.

"I'll show you."

With a wicked cackle, Klara placed her hand on the back of Lotor's head and shoved his face down into the mash. Lotor sputtered loudly as he jerked his head back, accidentally knocking the dish off of his lap and onto the floor in the process. Growling, he shot Klara a glare with enough venom in it to stop a Galra fleet in its tracks while the Lepidoptan hugged her now aching sides as she carried herself to the door.

"You are going to pay for this, witch! You will be repaid for this a thousand times over, do you hear me?!" he roared but his threats fell on deaf ears as the door slammed shut. Sighing loudly, the prince cast a disdained glance at the food that now sat on the floor in front of him, the growling of his stomach ringing in his ears. As unappetizing as it was, the mush was his only food source at the moment and he had to eat in order to keep up his strength. Now there was only one problem: how was he supposed to reach it.

Realizing what he must do, Lotor braced himself and violently jerked his body forward, causing his chair to fall and his face to hit the floor. Cursing under his breath, Lotor managed to roll onto his side and inch his way over to the dish of food. As his hunger finally overtook him, the prince lifting his head and hungrily gobbled up the mash like a wild dog till not a single morsel was left in the dish. With no way to clean himself up or return his seat to an upright position, Lotor pushed the dish away with his nose and laid his head down on the cold floor, closing his eyes as he curled in on himself in hopes of preserving what little body heat he had.

 _"She will pay for this humiliation. She will pay."_ He repeated over and over in his mind to console his wounded pride before he drifted off into a state of restless slumber.


	4. Chapter 4

"Klara, this is a bad idea! What if he gets out? What if he escapes and brings back his forces to kill us all?"

"He won't, Torc. I promise."

"But he's a prince! What if his men come looking for him and find him here?"

"They won't. Widget has set up several decoys throughout the galaxy to keep them occupied. There's no way they can find him and us within a week, which is all the time that we need."

"But what if the queen-"

When Lotor started to stir, Klara and the newcomer, Torc, grew silent. Upon opening his eyes, the prince immediately realized that he had been blindfolded. Pursing his lips, he tilted his head this way and that way, listening for any sign of movement or life. As Torc drew in a shaky breath and placed his hand into his jacket to retrieve the dagger concealed within, an eerie grin spread across Lotor's lips.

"I can hear you. Why are you frightened? Have you started to regret how you treated me?" he purred in a sultry voice.

"Hardly." Came Klara's curt reply.

"Then we are not alone. What are you reaching for, trembling one? A weapon? I did not think many Lepidoptans carried such things."

"H-How did you know I was Lepidoptan?"

"I didn't but now I do."

Klara clenched her jaw and reached into her pocket for Lotor's gag as she quietly crept closer to him. However, Lotor heard her coming and swiped his legs out in front of him. Klara quickly leaped into the air to avoid being tripped, but when she tried to spread her wings, the close quarters of the room kept them from unfurling fully and she hit the ground with a thud.

"Hmm, you cannot fly so the space we are in must be relatively small-" Lotor began to coo when he suddenly felt the icy touch of a blade against his throat.

"How dare you taunt her highness like that! Say one more word and I'll slit your throat!" Torc growled, pressing his knife further against Lotor's skin.

"If you're going to do that then you should try using the sharp edge of the blade instead of the flat one." Lotor replied coyly, his demeanor completely unaffected by the blade's presence.

Torc's expression slackened for a moment before scrunching up into an even tighter mass of angry wrinkles as he flipped the blade around in his grasp. "Why you-!"

"Leave him be, Torc. He is just trying to aggravate you." Klara interjected icily, her eyes warily watching the prince's every move.

"But Prin-"

"Torc!"

"Interesting. You are royalty, so given Torc's helpful outburst, I can assume you are a princess, unless I have miscalculated and you are a male. However, that possibility is extremely unlikely so I stand by my conclusion that you are in fact a Lepidoptan female and a princess."

Silence gripped hold of the air as Torc stared back at Klara with eyes wide in horror. "Milady..."

Klara released a heavy sigh and motioned for her attendant to withdraw as she carefully approached Lotor, ready to jump back should he try to strike her again. This time, the Galra allowed her to come near, his smug grin taunting her as she knelt in front of him.

"Frightened now, your majesty?" he crowed. However, he stiffened slightly when he heard the clack of metal against metal and felt something heavy clamp onto his ankles.

Now it was Klara's turn to smile as she stepped out of Lotor's reach. "As I said before, I have no reason to be afraid of you, your majesty."

Lotor clenched his jaw and squirmed slightly against his bonds to test them. However, he froze when he heard the obnoxious knocking noise of someone's fist hitting wood followed by the screeching of hinges.

"Milady, it's your mother and the queen." Torc whispered in a hushed tone, though Lotor still heard him clear as day.

Klara mumbled a word Lotor had not heard before, likely a Lepidoptan cuss word, and briskly approached the door.

"Stay here and watch him. If he tries anything, use your communicator to call for Oli; he should be waiting somewhere nearby." She grunted before hurrying out the door and shutting it behind her.

Once she had gone, Lotor immediately placed his head between his bent knees and pushed the blindfold off, blinking as the bright light of day flooded his eyes. Torc tensed when he noticed Lotor had removed his blindfold and considered trying to put it back on him, but after a moment, he ruled against it since Lotor was obviously much smarter than he.

Glancing down at himself, Lotor observed his that his armor had been removed, leaving him clothed in only his black under armor; Klara had most likely taken it to sell like everything else. After adjust his posture so was sitting more comfortably, Lotor tossed back his head to get his now loose hair out of his face, causing a seed of jealousy to sprout in Torc's chest at the sight of the long, silky locks while he subconsciously reached up to caress his own dry, chin-length, deep violet hair remorsefully. Lotor took note of this and flashed Torc a knowing smile, causing Klara's attendant to bristle before promptly redirecting his gaze. Lotor continued to smirk as he scanned Torc from head to toe, making the Lepidoptan shudder. He was significantly shorter than most of the males of his kind, standing a few inches shorter than Klara, and his physical form was far from special. Despite the fierce gleam in his eye, there was also a hint of a dullness and lack of depth as well, leading Lotor to believe that while his intentions were noble but he was somewhat dimwitted. Klara couldn't have picked a worse person to watch over the cunning emperor pro tem of the Galra.

Dismissing Torc for the moment, Lotor took the liberty of inspect his lodgings. The building was a small, single-room hut with a low ceiling, a lone wooden door, and a single window just beyond his reach, as he had envisioned while blindfolded. His arms were wrapped around a sturdy pole behind him and cuffed together so he couldn't use them and his ankles were now chained together thanks to Klara. Everything in the room seemed to have been made from naturally occurring materials, which did not surprise him since he recalled hearing once that the Lepidoptans were not as technologically advanced as many species.

Growing bored now, Lotor decided to close his eyes again and listen attentively to his surroundings in hopes of overhearing what was going on outside. To his luck, the voices of Klara and two others, her mother and the queen, slowly grew clearer and clearer as he focused on them, the rest of his surroundings fading into obscurity.

"Klara, this isn't good! He's probably dangerous!" A shrill voice shrieked. There was a slight tremble to it, as if the speaker was quite frightened.

"He immobilized, mother, and my attendant is watching him to make sure he behaves." Klara replied coolly,

"Torc? Ha! That boy can barely walk without tripping over his own two wings! What reassurance is he?! I say we toss this criminal out now before he can cause trouble and let the Zephihilds eat him!"

"We can't do that, mother. He belongs to one of our allies from the I.P.A and they want him back alive. To dishonor their wishes would be to break our alliance." Klara insisted, her tone still calm and even.

"But he's a Galra, Klara! Our allies are likely to put him to death anyways so why can't we just kill him now-"

"Enough!" a slightly raspy voice firmly interjected. "I'm ashamed of you, Enoi. You think she doesn't wish to kill him? We are not the only ones who lost something the day our husbands fell. She probably feels the same way you do, but she is keeping herself in check because she knows our alliances are more important than revenge."

"But Mother-"

"The criminal stays for now. However, he is your responsibility, Klara. Should anything happen to him or should he cause any trouble, you will be held accountable. Do you understand and accept this?"

"Yes, my queen."

"But Mother, Klara can't even fight!"

"Her attendant will handle anything regarding physical contact."

"But-"

"I have made up my mind, Enoi. This is how things will be. You may return to your duties, Klara."

"Thank you, my queen."

As the door to the hut swung open once more, Lotor's eyes fluttered open and he immediately shot the princess a smug grin that made her stomach churn.

"What are you so cheeky about?" she growled.

"I'm just amused by how truly out of touch your people are with their fellow galaxies to not realize who I am. An intergalactic criminal? Such a story is quite laughable." he chirped in reply.

"What you think of it does not matter. Even if someone did learn who you are, it would hardly matter."

"True indeed; your people seem to have a great distaste for mine." Lotor mused, his eyes glittering like stars. Klara didn't like it one bit.

Turning to Torc, Klara parted her lips, ready to speak, but what Lotor said next made her tongue go slack in her mouth.

"So, how did your father and grandfather die? Were they pirates as well?"

The air in the room turned frigid as Klara stood stiff as a board while Torc looked on with an expression of shock and a hint of panic. Suddenly, in one fluid motion that took even Lotor offguard, Klara rushed the Galra prince and slammed him against the pole behind him, his neck grasped tightly in her trembling but firm hand.

"Don't you _ever_ talk about them! My grandfather and father were men of peace and you barbarians slaughtered them for sport out of boredom and bloodlust!" She spat bitterly, her eyes darkened with hate.

"How could you know something like that-"

"Because I was there!"

Lotor immediately grew silent, his expression deepening as his smile disappeared. "How could you have been there? Surely you yourself would have been killed had you been present."

"My father had multiple secret compartments throughout the ship's control room. When the Galra began to board our ship, he stuffed me into one of them and told me to stay there until he came to get me."

"Which he never did." Lotor thought aloud.

Klara's expression grew pained and distant, as if she was seeing something other than Lotor, something far off yet so close that the foggiest of details were still vivid enough to recognize.

"No, he did not. As he was preparing to depart from the control room, two Galra stormed in and ran him through with their blades." she continued in a quiet voice, a few tears now streaming down her cheeks. "My grandfather's lifeless body was draped over the second soldier's shoulder. I didn't think I could have witnessed anything worse but those...those....those heathens proved me wrong almost instantly. I overheard them mention something about a gift for someone, and the next thing I knew, my father was on his stomach with my grandfather's corpse face down beside him and the two barbarians had their blades pressed against the base of their wings. No sound came from my grandfather but my father screamed like I had never heard before as his wings were sawed off, his voice mixing with the amused laughter of the two soldiers. He eventually passed out from pain or blood loss, and after collecting their prizes, the Galra left."

Silence fell over the room as Klara trembled violently, her wobbly knees threatening to buckle underneath her as she held back choked sobs. Lotor made no effort to jest or poke fun at her and instead waited patiently for her to continue, a faint trace of concern in his eyes.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to try and drag the limp bodies of your loved ones to an escape pod? Do you have any concept of the scarring it leaves, especially when you have to leave them behind to avoid dying as well? Do know how many years I have laid awake at night, unable to close my eyes for fear that I would see their bloody corpses before me again while their screams echoed in my ears once more? Well, do you?!" Klara snapped, her grip on Lotor's throat tightening.

Lotor winced slightly but did not resist. "This tale of yours is troubling indeed...."

Klara's face bloomed bright red. "Is that all you can say?! Your people murdered my father and grandfather in cold blood! They tore my family to pieces; _you_ tore my family to pieces and that's all you have to say?!"

In truth, Lotor did not know what to say. He knew Klara's story was not a unique one, but seeing the emotion in her eyes and hearing the pain in her voice firsthand had rather deeply disturbed him. How could he feel sympathy for a woman that had tormented him since the moment they met? As illogical as it was, Lotor couldn't help the guilt he felt tugging on his heart.

Irked by his silence, Klara released Lotor to drop to the floor and stormed over to Torc, who flinched and pressed his back against the wall.

"Watch him. I'll be back later." Klara grunted bluntly before exiting the hut again, leaving Torc and Lotor alone to suffocate from the awkward silence in the room.

Sighing, Lotor straightened his posture and turned his expectant gaze to Torc, who scowled at him in return.

"What?" He barked.

"I need to relieve myself." Lotor fibbed.

Torc narrowed his eyes then headed to the open window, reaching through it to grab something on the other side. When he pulled his arm back through the window, he held a fistful of leaves the length of his arm and the width of his chest, which he proceeded to toss at Lotor's feet. The prince raised an eyebrow.

"You're kidding right?"

"I'm not one for jests. You use those or you hold it. I don't care which." Torc hissed flatly, arms crossed.

Lotor sighed. "Could you at least turn around so I can have some privacy?"

"Do I look stupid to you?"

"Do you truly want me to answer that?"

Torc angrily clenched his fists as his wings opened and trembled, causing Lotor to smirk.

"Watch it, Galra. You're already on thin ice for making Klara cry. I will not tolerate any further misbehavior." the Lepidoptan growled, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. Lotor only rolled his eyes.

"Are Lepidoptans always this hospitable?" he grumbled sarcastically

"No, but for Galra we make special exceptions." Torc replied curtly, his wings finally folding back to the way they were as his boiling anger cooled to an irritated simmering.

Growing bored with the yippy servant, Lotor leaned back against the pole behind him and allowed himself to become lost in thought, an activity that quickly started to bore him as well. Slowly, his gaze returned to Torc, who was now inspecting his nails, completely oblivious to Lotor's stare.

_"_ _I will not give up so easily. I simply need a more convincing distraction, a request that cannot be resisted._ _"_

"I need sustenance." He complained.

"There's still five varga till supper time."

"But I desire it now."

"Tough. You're not getting anything." Torc grunted.

"But what if I pass out from hunger? I need to be kept in the best condition till your 'allies' come to retrieve me, right?"

Torc's eyes narrowed suspiciously for a moment before he cautiously made his way to the window and called out to someone. As soon as Torc's eyes had left him, Lotor swung his legs in a wide arch, knocking Torc's legs out from beneath him. As his head hit the ground, Lotor hastily wrapped the chain connecting his ankles around Torc's neck and pulled it as tight as he could. However, to his surprise, Torc immediately reached up and pried the chain from around his neck before whirling around and socking Lotor in the jaw.

 _"It would appear that what he lacks mentally, he makes up for physically."_ The prince grimaced. _"Perhaps I should try my other approach."_

"You are strong." He stated, wincing as his jaw gave a sharp throb. "I could put that to good use."

"Do you ever shut up?" Torc groaned.

"Don't you ever get tired of dutifully serving your people and not getting the recognition you deserve? The queen's daughter thinks you are a fool." Lotor continued. "The Galra may not be perfect, but I assure you that dutiful soldiers are greatly rewarded. You would become a general within a few weeks."

"Kaltenecker crap! You're lying."

"Am I? Last I checked I'm the prince and emperor pro tem, meaning I make the rules." Lotor cooed coolly. "I would have to pull a few strings but I could make it happen; all you need to do is get me out of here."

Silence fell as Torc stared at Lotor, who smiled as if he had already won as the Lepidoptan lumbered toward him. However, instead of reaching for Lotor's cuffs, Torc proceeded to punch the prince in the gut, knocking the wind out of his lungs.

"The day I join the Galra is the day I abandon my dignity and spit in the face of my princess and my queen. Now shut up before I knock you out." he growled.

"You are making a mistake." Lotor muttered between pants.

"I've made no mistake."

Hearing commotion outside, Torc returned to the window to have a tray of bright fruit placed in his arms.

"Here you go. Don't eat it too quickly or you'll feel sick for days." The Lepidoptan said as he tossed the food into Lotor's lap.

"I assume I won't be allowed to eat with my hands again?" Lotor stated. Sighing, he bent down and bit into the first fruit only to immediately spit it out, disgusted by its bitter taste.

"Got a bad one, eh? Those are actually two different kinds of fruit. They may look the same, but one is bitter and the other is sour. Which one you get is all based on luck." Torc sneered.

Lotor shot him a glare. "And you call me the barbarian."

"Just be grateful we didn't throw in the poisonous ones as well."


	5. Chapter 5

Humiliating. That was the best word Lotor could think of on an empty stomach to describe his experience on this miserable planet under the care of its extremely aggressive princess and his bumbling lackey. Their little fruit game had made him feel quite sick to the point that he felt like he would throw up, but after seeing the the smug expression on Torc's face, he forced himself to swallow the food attempting to climb back up his throat and closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing to keep his mind off of his misery. He must have dozed off at some point, for the next time he opened his eyes, the natural light had vanished, leaving the room decorated with dark shadows that seemed to wriggle and writhe like live creatures, and Torc was no longer present. Now at the end of the room stood a Lepidoptan male, a shriveled, haggard bag of skin and bones with bulging eyes and a nearly bare head who looked far too old and frail to be put in charge of watching a dangerous "criminal" like himself, his trembling hands tightening their grip on the large stick he held when he noticed the Galra had awoken. Lotor raised a skeptical eyebrow.

 _"Are they mocking me? This has to be some kind of joke."_ he thought to himself. Slowly, his lips curved upward into a smile. _"Seems their need for a laugh has blinded them to the own stupidity of their plan. How fortunate for me. I just need to lure him over."_

Thinking quickly, Lotor flopped onto his side and curled up into a ball on the floor, moaning loudly as his face contorted into a look of pain. The old man jumped back at a speed that was surprising swift for someone his age, completely taken offguard, and watched the prisoner with wide eyes.

"I...I don't feel so good. I think someone might have slipped one of the poisonous fruits into my food by accident. Please...help me." Lotor whimpered, shooting the guard a pleading look of desperation that would have put a herd of begging puppies to shame.

Completely and hopelessly fooled by the prince's performance, the elderly Lepidoptan dropped his weapon and raced to Lotor's side before kneeling down next to him. His lips curving into a sneer, Lotor sharply kicked both legs upward and into the old man's chin, causing him to fall backwards. With another swift kick, he knocked the poor sap out cold before using his legs to pull the man's limp body over to him using only his legs. Leaning down, he used his teeth to retrieve a small cloth pouch from the old man's belt and dropped it in his lap, nudging it repeatedly with his nose to widen the opening at the top. Once the hole was large enough, he stuck his nose into the bag and began to feel around, looking for anything that could help him

 _"Come on. This old bat has to have something that I can use."_ he silently implored, and a bright sparkle invaded his eyes as something cold and sharp poked the tip of his nose. He immediately grabbed the object with his teeth and lifted it out of the bag to behold a lone needle attached to what appeared to be an unfinished handkerchief.

 _"So you have a hobby of sewing. How adorable."_ the prince sneered to himself. After a long struggle to untangle the needle from the thread using only his teeth and knees, Lotor dropped the tool over his shoulder and into his hands and immediately set to work picking the lock on his handcuffs, his brows scrunching together in intense concentration as he worked while also remaining acutely aware of his surroundings should the old man awaken or someone else enter the hut. It was no easy feat picking the lock given that the he had to bend and twist his hands into positions and shapes he would've previously thought impossible, but about thirty long dobashes, the all too beautiful click of the lock coming undone rang in Lotor's ears like bells. With a dramatic flick of his wrists, he cast off the heavy chains and hurriedly jabbed the needle into the lock for the chains around his ankles. Given that he had full movement of his hands and could actually see what he was doing now, he picked the second lock much faster and soon kicked off the shackles that had clung to his legs. After reaching down and massaging the sore, bruised skin, the prince got on his hands and knees and crawled along the wall to avoid being spotted through the window as he headed for the door. However, just as his fingers ghosted along the doorframe, he stopped and glanced over at the makeshift spear lying on the ground where the old man had left it. As pitiful of a weapon it was, it was better to be armed with something than to run out without an extra means of defense, even if it was merely a distraction. Grabbing the spear, Lotor tucked it under his arm before tentatively reaching for the door and pushing it open ever to slightly. After peeking through the crack to ensure that no one was around, he threw the door open the rest of the way and crawled out into the open air before rising to his feet and quietly shutting the door behind him.

Everywhere he looked, dark foliage loomed, its vines reaching out for him like grotesquely gnarled hands. Their density also made it impossible to see the sky or the ground, leaving Lotor to wonder just where exactly he stood. Noticing the basket with the remains of his "meal" sitting by the door to the hut, he quickly snatched one up and approached the edge of the wooden porch encircling the building. Tossing the fruit into the abyss of dark green, he stood for a moment and listened, waiting. After several ticks, the squish of the fruit hitting the hard ground below, and Lotor's eyes narrowed. Apparently, he was high enough in the air that jumping down was not an option, unless he didn't mind be crippled for the rest of his days assuming he actually lived. Dismissing the idea, Lotor took a safe step back from the edge of the porch and proceeded to examine the rest of his surroundings. He could see a warm light and the outline of other huts not too far away but as he looked around, a sinking sensation filled his chest when he came to an awful realization: no bridge existed between this building and the others. In other words, he had broken out only to realize he was still very much incarcerated, stranded amongst a sea of leaves and vines with no way to escape.

Cursing his bad luck, Lotor clenched his jaw and surveyed his surroundings once more, looking for something, anything, that he could use to get off of his wooden island. After several dobashes of searching, his eyes settled on a low hanging vine that dangled just about a yard from the edge of the porch, swaying slightly as a breeze blew through the air. Slowly, a plan started to form in Lotor's mind. It was risky, yes, but at the moment, it was just as risky to stay put; apparently, it was time to see if all his acrobatic training with Ezor would pay off. Taking a deep breath and discarding his spear since he obviously wouldn't be able to take it across, Lotor took several large strides backwards till his back was pressed against the wall and then sprinted towards the edge of the porch, hurling himself at the vine and making a wild grab for it. His fingers clamped tightly around the vine while his feet dangled above the deceiving sea of green beneath him and his heartbeat roared in his ears. Forcing himself to keep his eyes locked in front of him, Lotor located the next set of vines, a pair of creepers dangling side by side a short distance away, and began swinging his legs back and forth to give himself some momentum. However, as he let go of his vine and reached for the next one, Lotor's stomach dropped as it snapped in his hand. Heart leaping into his throat, the prince desperately lunged for the second vine as he started to fall, his feet brushing against the leaves below just as his fingers wrapped around the second vine. Pulling himself up, Lotor took a few steady breaths while his body involuntarily trembled due to the adrenaline still coursing through his veins, his knuckles turning white with a purplish hue from the intensity of his grip on the vine for his life truly did depend on it at the moment. As a bead of sweat ran down the side of his face then dripped from his chin, Lotor swallowed his thundering heart along with the last of the aftershock from nearly dying and began to swing again, his gaze fixed on the next vine. He couldn't avoid to hang there all night.

Several vines and three near death experiences later, Lotor landed rather clumsily on the platform of the first hut of the village, his body coated in a blanket of cold sweat. The prince wanted nothing more than to lay down for a moment and relish in the sensation of having a solid floor beneath him again but he knew that permitting such a request would endanger his escape by putting him at risk of being discovered, so he took a brief moment to recuperate and then dashed into the shadows of the closest hut. Throughout the entire village he bolted from the shadows of one home to those of another, all the while listening and watching for any signs of life. To his surprise, everything was eerily quiet, so quiet that one would have believed the place to be abandoned. As he neared an open window on one of the huts, the Galra prince risked a peek into the home, and although it was obviously inhabited by someone, the owners were nowhere to be seen inside. His brows scrunching together in puzzlement, Lotor ran to another hut and peaked through its window to be met with the same results.

 _"This is indeed a problem. I need one of these people, preferably someone who lives alone and can be easily overtaken, who I can force to get me out of this place. Where is everyone?"_ he wondered, his face set in a deep scowl.

Suddenly, the sound of running feet and high-pitched, childish laughter greeted Lotor's ears, prompting him to dive behind what appeared to be several clay jars filled to the brim with water while three young Lepidoptans girls ran past.

"This way! Hurry up or we'll miss it!" the girl at the helm of the group exclaimed as she ushered her friends forward.

Lotor's eyes narrowed as he watched the girls run off. They were far too small and weak to give him a lift but perhaps they would lead him to someone who could. Sporting his famous cocky smirk, the prince snuck to from behind the water jars and crept after the little girls like a beast stalking its prey.

Eventually, the three girls came to a large spot in the middle of the village where all the houses formed a large ring around a massive fire pit, which was currently ablaze with a large bonfire. Lotor shrank back and dashed behind the nearest building for cover before slowly peering around the hut to get a better look. The entire village appeared to be gathered in that place, their eyes all fixed on the fire; however, after looking closer, Lotor quickly realized that they were in fact not watching the flames but rather what stood in front of them. At the center of the circle was Klara, adorned in a beautiful turquoise outfit dotted with more crystals than there were stars in the night sky, all of which shimmered in the firelight as the princess performed what appeared to be a very complicated, elegant, and also rather seductive dance. All eyes remained fixed on her as she twirled and stepped and flaunted in an almost hypnotic manner, and Lotor found that he too was unable to look away. The grace and ease with which this woman contorted her body into shapes and positions that made his own muscles cringe was quite fascinating to him, and after watching her for a little bit longer, he realized some of the moves she was performing looked very familiar.

 _"These are moves she demonstrated during our battle."_ he concluded. _"So her fighting style stems from her dancing. How....innovative."_

Sadly, after a few more seconds, Klara dance came to an end. The other Lepidoptans all clapped their hands while Lotor continued to eye the princess with the same curiosity with which a cat watches a mouse squirm beneath its paw. She was so lively, so graceful, so powerful. He couldn't wait to break her as atonement for her insults.

As Klara stood quietly where her dance had ended, an elderly Lepidoptan woman with pale pink skin and even paler hair stood up from where she sat on the ground, her shriveled hand wrapped tightly around a long stick which she leaned on for support as she made her way to stand beside the princess. Judging by her clothes and the meek yet obvious crown resting atop her head, Lotor assumed that this must be the queen, Klara's grandmother.

"My people, tonight we celebrate the annual arrival Cupedous Moon and the beginning of the lovers season. Starting tonight, young and old shall come forward in search of partners for whom they wish to spend their lives with and compete for the chance to take the beloved's hand. Who is brave enough to step forward now and begin this ancient tradition for us?"

Murmurs rose from the crowd as members of the tribe looked at one another questioningly, each of them to nervous to initiate the first dance. However, to everyone's surprise, one young man finally stood up, his light blue skin and long, dark aqua hair causing him to stand out like a sore thumb amongst the mostly purple, pink, and coral red Lepidoptans, and Lotor could have sworn he saw Klara's expression turn sour when she saw him.

"I will take the first dance, your majesty." he said in a voice that overflowed with honey and sugar that attempted to distract those around him from the prideful sparkle in his eyes.

The queen looked rather surprised as the lad made his way towards her, "Sonan, you are looking to settle down?"

"You wound me with your astonishment, my queen, but I guess I cannot blame you given my past behavior." Sonan purred as he approached her and bowed respectfully at her feet before rising.

"All can change, my boy, even you. Who is it you desire to take as your chosen one?" the queen asked.

The air grew very quiet as all the eligible females in the village held their breath, watching Sonan with pleading eyes as he slowly surveyed the entire crowd. However, his gaze soon left them and landed on Klara, whose wary eyes never left him, and his lips curved into a smile. Stepping forward, he grabbed Klara's hand and pressed it to his forehead as he knelt before her.

"Klara, I wish to dance with you." he cooed in his suave, sultry voice as he looked up at her with smiling eyes.

Gasps rose from the crowd as the Lepidoptans all turned to one another to chatter excitedly about the development. Meanwhile, Klara looked like she was about to be sick and continued stared dumbly at Sonan, her lips sealed tightly shut. Her grandmother raised an eyebrow at her.

"Klara?" she called softly to get her granddaughter's attention.

Klara suddenly snapped out of her daze and looked around to see the eyes of everyone in the village all fixed expectantly on her. Even from where he stood, Lotor could tell that the princess was quite distressed, but after glancing at her grandmother and another woman he assumed to be her mother, her face hardened as she looked Sonan in the eye.

"Very well. Just try to keep up." she hissed before storming over to one side of the circle, people shrinking back to avoid being stepped on. Sonan only chuckled and crossed to the other side of the circle, his hungry eyes fixed on her as he waited. Meanwhile, Lotor leaned in a little closer, his curiosity peaked and his need to escape temporarily forgotten; something inside him told him that whatever happened here could possibly be of use to him, later on.

Once the queen had sat down, music began to play and Klara and Sonan started to dance, their movements mirroring one another's like a reflection. Obviously displeased by this, Klara quickly but flawlessly switched from one move to another, catching Sonan offguard as he attempted to copy her. His recreation of the movement was not quite as graceful as the princess's, leading her to smile while he glared at her in return. Slowly, the two began to approach one another, their dance never halting as they swayed and spun. However, once the young man was within reach, Klara nudged his raised foot just enough to cause him to stumble, prompting a few snickers from the crowd. Obviously growing frustrated, Sonan spun around and tried to grab Klara's wrists to pull her to his chest and therefore limit her movements, but she gracefully bent back while swing her arms out in a slow arch above her head, easily evading his attempt. Slipping beneath his arm, she twirled behind him and, taking advantage over his unsteadiness, gave him a gentle push in the back with the tip of her foot before spinning away, relishing in the giggles of the crowd as she went. It was quite obvious that she was toying with Sonan, and while his dance ability was quite refined, he was obviously nowhere near the princess's level. Growing desperate, he looped his own leg around Klara's and attempted pull her to him in hopes of saving his dignity, but a firm jerk in Klara's direction sent him falling to his knees. A victorious smile decorated Klara's as she proudly towered over Sonan and proceeded to step onto his knee and shoulder and flip off of his back, the force pushing him onto his stomach. Upset now, Sonan spun around and swiped at the princess's legs, knocking them out from underneath her, and as she fell, he caught her in his arms and pulled her close to him, his lips curving into a taunting sneer. Klara clenched her teeth and tried to pull away but he merely grabbed her by her waist and lifted her into the air above him while the crowd oohed and ahhed.

Lotor had become so transfixed with the dance that he became completely unaware to his surroundings, so when he was suddenly tackled from behind, he wasn't prepared and fell forward. Shrieks pierced the air as Lotor and Torc tumbled into the crowd, somersaulting over one another as they crawled at one another's faces and throats. The villagers immediately leaped away from the tussle, some of them colliding with Sonan, causing him to drop Klara. Rolling away from him, Klara jumped to her feet and pushed her way through the crowd before running towards the fight just as Lotor managed to throw Torc off of him. Leaping onto his back, she used her body weight to make him fall forward onto his stomach, but Lotor curved his back so she hit the ground instead and cushioned his fall. However, Klara refused to let go of him, and as he tried to get up, she jerked him back to the ground, wrapping her legs around his own and pinning his arms behind his back in an attempt to incapacitate him while Torc and another Lepidoptan, a middle-aged man with a beard thinning hairline, grabbed some ropes to bind his hands and feet. Once Lotor had been securely tied up, he was lifted off of the princess, who stood up and dusted herself off while glaring daggers at the back of his head.

Meanwhile, Sonan suddenly barreled forward and grabbed Torc by the collar of his jacket, prompting him to squeak in surprise.

"I should've known you'd pull something like this, you little vermin! How dare you sabotage my dance with Klara!" he roared angrily, practically shaking Torc like a ragdoll as he hoisted him into the air.

"What the heck are you talking about?! You think I did this on purpose?! I would never put my people and the princess in such danger!" Torc protested as he thrashed about in Sonan's grasp, spastically kicked his legs in hopes that one would hit Sonan with enough force to make him drop him.

"I knew this was a bad idea! He's too dangerous! He's going to kill us all!" Klara's mother shrieked.

"ENOUGH!!!" Klara suddenly exclaimed, shocking everyone. Silence fell as all eyes turned to look at her, her face bright red with anger as she glared at Lotor, Sonan, and Torc. "Sonan, put him down this instant! You would've failed that dance anyways!"

Sonan's angry glare immediately shifted to her, "What?! I am the best dancer in this village! Only I am worthy to be your husband! How dare you!"

"You will never be my husband, not while I have anything to say about it!" Klara screamed at him, prompting gasps from several members of the tribe, including her mother and grandmother. After prying Torc out of Sonan's grasp, she grabbed Lotor by the hair and dragged him away from the bonfire, Torc trailing sheepishly behind.

"Princess, I am so sorry. I just left him alone with another guard for a short moment while I went to relieve myself, I swear." he stammered nervously, sweat pouring down his face like water after a shower.

"I do not blame you, Torc. Don't worry." Klara replied flatly.

Pursing his lips as his scalp ached, Lotor raised his eyes to glare up at Klara. An idea suddenly popping into his head, he started to smile and stated in a mocking tone, "You are a wonderful dancer. I would love for you to entertain me during my stay-"

A swift slap across the face cut him off as the vein on Klara's forehead bulged and the fires of hell burned in her eyes, causing a hint of regret and worry for his wellbeing to pool in Lotor's stomach. Perhaps he had taken it a tad too far...


	6. Chapter 6

"A boat? A Kaltenecker? A plant? Klara?"

Reiya waved her arms up in exaggeration and shot Widget an annoyed scowl.

"What? I'm your interpreter, not a professional charades player. Try something different." Widget defensively shot back as she slouched in the pilot's seat of the shuttle, her back to the control panel while the autopilot prevented them from crashing into anything. Hearing a snort, she glanced over at Throk, who was currently seated in the corner and tightly bound to a pole. "What?"

"You two are by far the worst pirates I have ever seen." he sneered, causing Widget to raise an eyebrow.

"Is that so? How come we were able to capture you then?" She chirped smugly.

Throk glared bitterly at her for a moment before grumbling some indecipherable threat under his breath and turning his nose up at her. Shaking her head, Widget spun around in her seat and began rapidly typing on the ship's dashboard while Reiya folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot impatiently. Sensing the toxic aura radiating off of her, Widget shot her a questioning look over her shoulder.

"What? I don't know the answer and I have to send out another signal anyways." She replied before turning her attention back to the screen in front of her, lips pressing together into a tight line as her fingers flew across the keys. A sharp ping echoed throughout the ship's cabin to confirm that the beacon had successfully been broadcast, the high-pitched frequency making Throk to flinch due to his sensitive ears.

"You are extremely stupid. The last thing you should be trying to do is get the attention of Lotor's followers. They'll tear you to pieces once they catch you." He grumbled.

"Good thing they won't catch us then. I'm the best pilot in the entire crew and a natural with strategy. It'll take a whole lot more than a couple meager Galra soldiers to knock me out of the sky-" Widget began to boast, but her voice was drowned by a loud explosion and the blaring of the alarm as the ship gave a violent shake.

"As much as I despise them, Lotor's generals are anything but meager-" Throk stated, the corners of his lips curving upwards into a devilish grin, "-and it would seem that they just hit you, master pilot."

Clenching her teeth, Widget spun around in her seat and grabbed the main controls while Reiya sprinted towards her own seat. Slamming her hand down on the screen in front of her, the Syrose grabbed the aiming mechanism for the ship's blasters as the feed from the ship's rear view cameras popped up in front of her to reveal considerably large, blue and gray ship flying far too close for comfort.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! Shoot them already!" Widget barked as she struggled to stabilize the still shaking ship.

Biting her lip, Reiya pressed down on the two shiny, bright red buttons seated atop the controls in her hands and tightened her grip on the cold metal as the guns started to fire. The other ship sharply banked the side to avoid being hit before firing a few shots back. One of the lasers managed to graze the corner of the camera, making the feed turn fuzzy, and with another shot, two of the guns were disabled. Meanwhile, Throk continued to smirk as he watched the scene unfold.

"Still feeling confident in your skills, oh wonderful pilot?" He cooed mockingly.

"Shut up, Galra! We're still flying! Reiya, I need you to hold them off a little longer till I can make it to the asteroid field nearby. We'll lose them there."

"Are you sure about that?" Throk croaked.

"Positive. Now shut up before I have you ejected!"

As Reiya did her best to shoot back while half blind and lacking a few more guns, Widget took a deep breath and slammed the main controls forward, urging the ship to go faster. However, as the roaring of the engine and the screaming of the thrusters rang loud and true in her ears, the ship gave two more violent shakes as it was hint then turned sharply to the left. Widget cursed loudly and hurriedly strapped herself into her chair.

"Hold on! This is going to be a bit of a rough landing!" She called as she turned the ship towards the nearest planet and did her best to slow their fall. Flames curled up around the ship as it entered the planet's atmosphere, making the inside of the ship grow incredibly hot, but Widget didn't falter even slightly. As the ground drew closer, she closed her eyes and braced herself for the worst, inspiring Reiya to do the same. Fortunately, the ship didn't hit the ground head on, which would have killed all onboard instantly, and instead landed on its side, causing Reiya and Widget to lurch forwards in their seats while Throk flew across the room from the inertia. Throwing off her seatbelt, Widget sprang from her seat and ran to the craft's cracked windshield just in time to see the Galra ship drop down a few yards away from them and four female Galra pour out from inside. Clenching her teeth, she sprinted back to the main dashboard and began hurriedly typing out a series of commands.

"Reiya, grab Throk and get out of here while I finish wiping the system." she stated sternly as her fingers flew across the keys at incredible speeds and a bead of sweat trickled down her brow.

Reiya's brows immediately scrunched her brows and she feverishly shook her head.

"It's better that one of us get caught than both of us! I'll be fine, I promise. Just go!" Widget exclaimed.

Reiya was obviously less than pleased by the situation but she didn't argue any further. However, as she threw Throk over her shoulder and barreled towards the cabin's only exit, she skidded to a halt as the doors swung open and she received a powerful blow to the chest, knocking her backward. As her friend hit the floor with a considerable thud, Widget activated the reset process on the dashboard before whirling around, ready to fight, but she was almost instantaneously blindsided by some invisible force. As said force, which so happened to be Ezor, climbed on top of her, Axca made a beeline for the dashboard and began furiously typing, her lips pressed into a firm line. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as the progress bar slowed to a stop then vanished, leaving the system completely unlocked and at her fingertips.

Throk grinned like a child on Christmas as he gazed up at the faces of Narti, Kova, and Zetherid. "I was starting to wonder if you would ever show up."

Zetherid's lips curled back in disgust, leaving her pointed teeth on full display. "Where's Lotor?!"

"I don't know. They escorted him off of the ship a few quintents ago. However, if I were per say to be returned to my former position in the Galra empire, I might be able to recall something." Throk croaked smugly.

Zetherid ground her teeth angrily and snatched Throk up by the throat, squeezing with all her might. "Tell us where he is now or so help me I'll-"

"Got him." Axca interrupted, pulling up a picture of a large, entire green planet. "According to the ship's log, the mother ship is stationed just outside of this planet, so we can assume that Lotor is stashed someplace there?"

"You mean we have to search that entire planet? That will take forever! We'll never find him before he is sold!" Ezor moaned.

Axca's brows scrunched together in thought, her bottom lip jutting out into a sort of pout. After a few moments of connecting the pieces, she turned to the dashboard and began typing again. Curious, Ezor did her best to catch a glimpse of the panel while still remaining perched on top of Widget.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Sending a message to the main ship." Axca replied flatly. "They going to bring him right to us."

———————

Lotor groaned as he furiously rubbed his head against the wall behind him in hopes of loosening the unbearably tight French braid Klara seemed so fond of. Wincing as one of his bruises throbbed, he sighed in defeat and leaned back tiredly, his eyes on the ceiling above him.

"Can you undo this cursed thing yet?" He asked Torc, who was currently seated across from him on the floor.

"Nope, and if you keep trying to loosen it then I'll tighten back up. You should count yourself lucky that you only got this and a couple of cuts and scrapes after what you pulled last night. If it had been up to me, I would've done a whole lot worse to you." the Lepidoptan spat back as he carved a design in the floor of the hut with the tip of his spear, clearly bored out of his mind.

"How lucky indeed." Lotor grumbled sarcastically as he shifted positions again, hissing slightly as the cuffs fastened to his wrists bit into his skin.

Suddenly, the door to the hut flew open, causing a Torc to jump before he desperately scrambled to his feet as Klara entered the room. As soon as he saw her, Lotor could tell something was off. Was it her hair? No. Her skin tone? No. Was she wearing a new top? No. Suddenly, it hit him; she was smiling, not some artificial, forced smile but rather a genuine smile. It made his stomach churn.

Torc also seemed to be caught off guard by this sudden change in demeanor. "Princess, is everything alright?"

"Better than alright. We just secured a very generous offer for his royal highness here. Oli and Taicus are on their way down now to pick him up and deliver him." Klara practically sang as she shot Lotor a taunting look.

The news made Lotor's blood run cold, but he attempted to hide his distress with a confident sneer. "All this fuss over me, your majesty? I'm flattered."

"Shut up and show some respect, Galra!" Torc spat but Klara dismissively waved her hand.

"Let him say what he likes; it changes nothing. Within the hour, he'll be on a ship heading to his doom and I'll be plotting our next raid while sitting on a mountain of cash." She cooed before strutting over to Lotor and giving his hair one final, playful yank. "I'm going to miss playing with this mop of yours though."

"You could keep me around for a little longer." Lotor remarked, half hoping she would change her mind. Klara, however, shook her head.

"Not a chance. The longer I keep you here, the more likely you are to be found. You're hardly worth that kind of trouble to me." She remarked before casually pinching the tip of his pointed ear, making him flinch.

"Do you know who bought him?" Torc asked.

"Some race called the Narezzeax."

"I don't think I've heard of them."

"Neither have I."

"I have." Lotor interrupted, having caught the hint almost instantly. "I implore you to reconsider this trade."

Klara raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Scared?"

Lotor said nothing, donning a mask of fright and desperation to hide his inner delight at things turning in his favor. Klara easily took the bait and flashed him a cocky grin.

"Don't worry. No matter how you die, it'll eventually be over right?"

Lotor forced a shudder and looked down so Klara wouldn't see the mischievous gleam in his eye.

"Perhaps."

—————————

Lotor sighed loudly as he stared at the ceiling of the ship's cargo hold, shivering slightly as his breath condensed into a cloud right before his eyes. Shooting a glance at Fletch, who had been left to guard him, he struggled to keep his teeth from chatter as he spoke.

"I do believe your clients will be highly disappointed if I freeze to death before you hand me over to them. They might even demand that you return the payment." he said, doing his best to look completely at ease despite how cold he was.

Fletch raised one very fine and very pale eyebrow at the prince, but nonetheless he silently reached over to the digital panel on the wall and adjust the room temperature a few degrees higher. Although the difference was slight, it was enough for Lotor, who relaxed his tense muscles as the first faint waves of warmth brushed against his skin.

"Thank you. I will repay you for your kindness."

Fletch tilted his head to the side in puzzlement but before he could utter a single syllable, the ship gave a mighty shake.

"Sounds like your buyers are here. If I were you, I would lay down on the floor with your hands over your head." Lotor remarked.

Fletch narrowed his eyes at the Galra before dashing out the door. Lotor sighed and shook his head.

"Simpleton."

For several minutes he sat there, the screaming of blasters and desperate shouting of the pirates as they scrambled to defend themselves along with the occasional thump of a body hitting the floor. More time passed and the noise began to grow quieter and quieter till all was silent except the purr of the engine. As the door to the cargo hold opened, Lotor looked up behold Narti and Kova coming towards. Despite not having a typical facial features to convey her feelings, the Galra prince could tell from her body language that she was utterly relieved as she knelt down to undo his bonds.

"Thank you, Narti. I don't know what I would do without you." He smiled as the last of the chains fell from his wrists. Immediately, he reached up and undid the extremely tight French braid that had plagued his scalp for hours, shaking the now loose locks from side to side while Narti and Kova stood and watched. After using his fingers to comb the silken strands of snowy glory into place, he made his way towards the door and beckoned for her to follow him.

After a long walk and a few wrong turns, the two entered the cockpit of the shuttle where Zetherid, Ezor, and Axca were currently stationed.

"And sent! As of now, the mainland believes that the crew has been invited to a festival in their honor." Ezor chirped as she hit the send button on the main console. Catching a glimpse of Lotor out of the corner of her eye, she released a shrill shriek that made the other generals wince and ran to him, nearly tackling him in a hug as happy tears streamed down her cheeks. "You're okay!"

Lotor's stoic expression softened as he gently patted the girl's head. "I am, thanks to all of you."

"We rounded up the rest of the crew as well as picked up two other members along with Throk in a ship three galaxies over." Zetherid stated as she hovered over the tied up crew, gun in hand.

"Good. However, we still need to capture the captain otherwise this was all pointless." Lotor stated as he strutted over to the pilot's seat and eased himself down into its plush grasp.

"Do you wish to launch an invasion, sir?" Axca asked.

"No, I have a much better idea." Lotor purred, his lips curving into a devilish sneer. However, his grin fell when he noticed Fletch glaring at him from where he sat hunched on the floor with his hands and wings bound. Raising an eyebrow, Lotor lifted his hand and pointed at him.

"Bring him to me." He stated sternly.

Zetherid hastily obeyed and pulled Fletch to his feet before giving him a rough shove towards Lotor that sent him stumbling to his knees. Rising from the chair, Lotor knelt down so he was looking the pirate dead in his milky white eyes.

"Since you were the only one to show me any scrap of decency, I would to offer you a way out of the condemnation your friends currently face. Your skills could be of great use to the Galra Empire."

Fletch stared up at Lotor for a moment, his face void of all emotion. Then, with a sound that resembled a bird-like hiss, he spat directly in the prince's face and tried to jump him. Fortunately, Zetherid was close enough to grab him and throw him to the ground before he could harm the prince, who casually wiped the spittle from his cheek as if was no more than a drop of rain that had fallen during a storm.

"How...disappointing." He stated coldly before shooting a disapproving scowl at the still seething pirate. "Narti, set a course for the nearest cruiser. Zetherid, take the prisoners and place them in the cargo hold. Axca and Ezor, come with me."

None of the girls argued. As Zetherid forced the prisoners to their feet and Narti began tapping away at the main console, Lotor, Ezor, and Axca made their was down the ship's main hallway and boarded their own cruiser.

"Sir, where are we going?" Ezor asked.

"To the nearest swap moon. I need to do some research before I execute my plan to capture the captain." Lotor stated before glancing at her over his shoulder. "By the way, are you any good at dancing?"

"What?"

"Are you any good at dancing?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Ezor!"

"Well, I..." Ezor began to answer but stopped. As she glanced at Axca, she suddenly started to smile in a way that made the other general uneasy. "I'm not very good actually but Narti told me Axca is actually a pretty good dancer."

Axca's cheeks immediately flushed pink. "What are you talking about?!"

"Oh, there's no need to be shy about it, Axca!"

"Shy about what?!"

"Axca, can you dance or not?" Lotor barked, sounding somewhat annoyed. Axca immediately stiffened.

"....Y-Yes sir." She lied before shooting a glare at Ezor, who shot her a teasing wink in return.

"Then you shall stay with me to look for guides on different dances. Ezor, you shall be going on a different errand. I need you to gather whatever information you can on the culture of a species known as the Lepidoptans."

"Yes sir, but can I ask why we're doing all this?"

"I have a theory about a possible chink in our enemy's armor. If I'm right then I know how to take her down."

"Oh."

"Ezor, I also want you to find out what a 'French' is and how to properly perform its torture technique known as a 'French braid'. I have a feeling it will prove useful to us."

".......Yes sir?"


	7. Chapter 7

_7 Quintents Later..._

If her stiff posture and clenched hands weren't enough of a clue, one look into her face told Torc that Klara was concerned. No, concerned was too mild of a word. She was worried.

"Is something bothering you, my princess?" He asked quietly as he stood dutifully against the wall, his face scanning her face for any slight indication of change.

"It's been seven quintents and the crew has yet to return or even contact us. Further, there have been troubles with the transactions so we as of right now we still haven't been paid either. It's troubling." Klara replied as she lounged on the plush couch resting beneath the rays of sunlight that shone through the large window of her bedroom, her eyes fixed on a small, partially round, roughly textured, brightly colored fruit clutched in her hand as if she would find the answer etched in its skin. Apparently finding nothing, she allowed her head to drop back onto the plush pillow behind her, her hair sprawling out in a halo around her head, and chucked the fruit up into the air, catching it only to throw it up again as she thought over the situation for the millionth time.

"I'm sure it's nothing, your majesty. They are probably still enjoying the festivities; Oli and Ratch are particularly passionate when it comes to parties." Torc cooed in an attempt to soothe her but it was obvious that his words travelled in one ear and out the other.

"Perhaps." Klara merely mumbled before sitting up and adding, "Or perhaps not."

Torc bit his lip. "I advise you not trouble yourself with this any further, my lady. You have three more proposal dances to attend to today and you need to remain completely focused if you do not wish to be married off to some chump with no talent."

A giggle escaped Klara's lips as a smile broke through her stony expression, much to Torc's relief. "You're right, Torc. I must deal with the problems directly in front of me before I can concern myself with the problems of the universe-"

Suddenly and almost ironically, she was cut off the scream of a ship's engine followed by the howling of the wind as a mighty gust ripped through the village with such force that the houses trembled. Shrieks of terror and the drum of running feet soon followed and somewhere in the distance the sound of blasters mingled with the noise. Torc and Klara immediately locked eyes before the princess leaped to her feet and charged out the door with her guard in tow. As she set foot into the open air, her eyes widened in horror as she stared up at the belly of a ship hovering over her village, it's familiar blue and dark grey color scheme sending chills down her spine.

"Torc, gather any males who are willing to fight and arm them! I'm going to find my mother and grandmother!" Klara shouted over the symphony of chaos before darting into the crowd of fleeing Lepidoptans, her eyes desperately scanning for those two familiar faces.

"Klara!"

Her mother's voice.

"Klara!"

"I'm here! I'm coming! Stay where you are!" Klara replied as she pushed through the sea of bodies, all the while continuing to searching for the face she longed to see. Soon enough, her mother appeared amongst the villagers, her face pale and filled with dread as she watched the ship circle above them.

"Mother!" Klara cried as she ran to her. Her mother, Enoi, immediately threw her arms around the girl and pulled her to her chest as muffled sobs left her lips.

"What's going on?!" Klara asked frantically as she watched her people run, their faces all adorned with identical masks of terror.

"Oh Klara, can't you tell?! We're being invaded by the Galra!" Enoi wailed as she tightened her grip on her daughter.

Klara's blood ran cold. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she grabbed her mother's arms to get her attention and asked, "Where's Grandmother?"

"I-I don't know! Oh my gosh, I don't know!" Enoi shrieked before starting to hyperventilate.

"Mother, breathe! We can't afford for you to have one of your fainting spells right now!" Klara snapped, giving her mother a good shake in hopes of restoring her to her senses."

"I-I know. I'm sorry." Enoi panted, her body still trembling quite violently.

"I'm going to go find Grandmother. You do what you can to calm people down and get them to safety. Torc is currently working on rallying a force to launch a counterattack and-"

"Torc?! Oh my stars-"

"Listen to me! We need the people hidden and out of the way so the warriors have a clear shot! Can you do this for me?"

"I...I..."

"Can you do it or not?!"

"...Y-Yes."

"Good. I'll find you again once I have Grandmother and-"

Suddenly, four hatches in the bottom of the ship opened and four Galra females rained down on the crowd. Klara's eyes widened and she hastily gave her mother a shove towards the huts.

"Hurry! Go!" She exclaimed before taking off in the other direction. Glancing at the sky above, she bit her lip and contemplated the idea of searching from above, but another strong gust of wind from the ship quickly shot down that plan. As she ran, she swore she heard a series of footsteps following close behind her and when investigating she noticed one of the Galra soldiers, a faceless being with a cat perched on her shoulder, tailing her with her claws extended and her reptilian tail flicking back and forth with each step. Klara's eyes instinctively narrowed.

"You want to play, Galra? Fine. Let's play." She hissed under her breath before making a sharp turn to the left and leaping onto first a barrel sitting against a wall followed by the roof of the nearest house. Narti followed without hesitation, knocking several Lepidoptans aside as she made chase, springing onto the roof with a single bound. The two girls leaped from rooftop to rooftop, occasionally exchanging blows if they got close enough to one another. After one particular spat, Klara stumbled ever so slightly as her feet hit the latest roof, giving Narti opportunity to strike. In one fluid motion, the Galra general swiped at the princess's legs with her tail, aiming for her ankles in particular. The force was enough to knock Klara off balance, sending her tumbling off of the roof before she hit the ground below. Miraculous, she found nothing to be broken as she sat up, but when she tried to stand, a sharp pain in her left foot alerted her that something was amiss.

 _"I must have rolled it. Stupid Galra! I've got no choice but to fly now!"_ Klara thought to herself as she rose up on one leg. Narti must have anticipated this move because she immediately sprang down from above and attempted to tear through the glittering appendages, but she was two second too late and Klara was already aloft. Growling, Kova tried to leap on her back before she got too far away, but he too fell short and nearly hit the floor before Narti caught him.

As the grounded duo grew smaller and smaller behind her, Klara uttered a victorious chuckle before turning her attention to the crowd below. Slowly, her grin faded away when she saw the figure of her grandmother huddled on the ground, wrinkled hands chuckling one of her wings while she winced in pain.

"Grandmother!" She called to her before attempting to land. However, as her injured foot hit the ground, she hissed in pain and fell forward, landing oh so gracefully on her stomach with a thump.

Fear shone in the queen's eyes as she stared at her granddaughter. "What are you doing here, child?! Go! Hide! Get away!"

"Not without you! Get on my back and I'll fly you out of here!"

"Yeah, that's not happening." said a voice that seemingly came out of thin air before Ezor became visible, one hand around the queen's throat while the other pointed a gun in Klara's face. The princess immediately froze, unable to look away from burning glare of the barrel of the gun as her heart leaped into her throat. The queen released a weary but still desperate cry.

"Klara!" Torc cried as he and several other male Lepidoptans of varying ages appeared in the princess's peripheral vision.

"Everybody stay where you are or she'll shoot them all." Zetherid barked over the crowd as she, Axca, and Narti came up behind Ezor. To Klara's dismay, Axca's hand was firmly clamped on her mother's arm and her gun was pressed against her temple.

The other Lepidoptans all froze when they noticed the spectacle unfolding in the town's center, their screams stolen and their muscles turned to stone as they stared into the faces of the royal family. Only the hum of the engine could be heard as the people fearfully eyed the Galra as if uttering a single sound would cause the guns to go off.

"Make a clearing!" Axca ordered sternly, her hand never wavering as she pressed the gun further against the queen's skin.

Nobody moved, their bodies frozen with fear.

"Now!" Zetherid roared, snapping the poor villagers out of their daze and sending them scrambling to get out of the way.

Once a large enough space had been cleared, the ship above proceeded to land, blasting the people below with a final wave of wind before the engine went silent. With a hiss, the main door dropped down to reveal a lone figure standing inside, a cocky smirk adorning his face as her drank in the expressions of the people below. Klara saw the faces of her mother and grandmother change as they met the eyes of their attacker. She didn't need to look to know who it was and she only had one thing to say in response: drat!

"My my my, such a crowd for me? You're too kind." Lotor crowed as he exited the ship and took to looming over Klara's shoulder. "Did you miss me?"

"Go fly into a black hole, you pompous wretch!" Klara snarled in reply, earning a blow to the back of her head from Zetherid. A few gasp of fright echoed from the crowd.

"Now now, Zetherid. Let her say what she likes. After all, it changes nothing." Lotor sneered mockingly, shooting Klara a sideways glance as he spoke while she scowled back at him. Turning back to the crowd, he spoke in a clear voice that rang ominously throughout the village. "I do not believe I was able to formally introduce myself during my previous stay here. I am Prince Lotor, the acting leader of the Galra Empire."

Fearful chattering erupted from the crowd. Meanwhile, Enoi and her mother both shot Klara a look that could only be described as a mixture of shock, horror, and disbelief.

"Klara, what did you do?" the queen asked.

Klara didn't know what to say. What was she supposed to say? The truth? Yeah, that would go over really well. Fortunately and to her surprise, Lotor intervened before she could say a single word.

"Do not be cross with your granddaughter, your majesty. She was merely trying to do what she believed was best for her people and it's a good thing she did too. If not for her, I never would've discovered your settlement and come to offer you my assistance."

"We don't need any help from the Galra!" Enoi spat angrily.

"Oh but you do. You see, your people are very out of touch with the universe around you as well as nowhere near as technologically advanced as many of the other solar systems out there. This means you are vulnerable and have no way to protect yourselves from the various threats of the galaxy. However, I have come to offer you a proposal." Lotor purred, his tongue slick as silver.

The queen's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

"I have been made aware that your people are currently celebrating a season where life partners are given the chance to become engaged. I have come to participate."

All of the remaining murmurs died right then and there, leaving such a grave silence that it was almost deafening. All eligible members of the community all seemed to shrink, none of them wishing to be chosen for the foreigner's partner. The queen swallowed thickly, her expression indecisive and deeply troubled.

"Let me elaborate. It is my wish to induct your kingdom into the Galra Empire, either one way or another. Given that I am a man of diplomacy, I wish to establish this treaty between us by taking a member of the royal family to be my bride, but if you refuse, I will not hesitate to conquer you by force." Lotor sneered.

"But my mother and I cannot remarry. It is our tradition and law." Enoi tried to protest.

"I am aware of this. However, there is still one member of the royal family left."

All eyes immediately turned to Klara, who by the looks of it was about to be sick. The color drained from Enoi's face as she glanced from her daughter to the smirking Galra, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

"No. No, I won't let you have her! You cannot have my daughter, do you hear me?!"

"Calm yourself, madam. I merely expressed an interest in trying to win her hand. There is still the chance that I will fail and if I do I promise to peaceably leave your planet." Lotor purred calmly.

Ezor, Axca, Narti, and Zetherid all shared a look. Such a bargain was quite risky. What was Lotor up to?

"...You swear you will leave this place if I defeat you?" Klara stated as she rose to her feet, clenching her teeth to prevent herself from screaming as she shifted some weight onto her injured foot.

Lotor's grin widened as his eyes took on a dangerous twinkle. "I swear on my life."

Heaving a heavy sigh, Klara spread her wings out to their full glory and squared our shoulders. "I guess I have no choice then."

"Klara, no!" Enoi protested, squirming desperately in Axca's hold while tears streamed down her face.

"This is my fault, Mother. It is only fair that I'm the one who fixes it." Klara stated flatly as she limped over to Lotor and looked him dead in the eye. "Besides, I'm a Lepidoptan; I've been dancing my whole life. Defeating an ameteur is child's play for me."

"I wouldn't be so confident in your abilities if I were you. It might come back to bite you as well." Lotor mocked.

Klara released an indignant huff. "Let's dance, Galra scum!"

After a few less than compliant musicians had been rounded up and armed with their instruments, Klara and Lotor assumed the proper stance, their eyes locked and muscles practically bursting with potential energy. As the first note of the song pierced the air, Klara made sharp leap to the right and tried to slide past Lotor, but the Galra prince hastily spun around and grabbed her from behind just before her feet could hit the ground. Pulling her to his chest, he hooked his leg around her injured foot before grabbing her wrists and guiding them as he wish as if the woman was no more than a puppet.

"Did he work on that with you, Axca?" Ezor snickered, shooting her friend a sly glance.

Axca's cheeks burned pink. "Be quiet, Ezor."

"Are you worried yet?" Lotor whispered breathily in Klara's ear, obviously enjoying himself.

"Hardly." Klara curtly fired back before yanking her arms free from his hold and using the way he had hooked his leg around her own to flip behind him and give him a strong push. However, the prince used the momentum to his advantage and hit the floor only to spring back up into a handstand before flipping back down onto his feet. Growling Klara tried to swipe his legs out from underneath him but he swiftly jumped then caught her leg, which he wrapped around his waist before pulling her into a long series of spins to discombobulate her. Shaking her head, Klara lifted up her other leg and to push him away; however, Lotor used this to his advantage and flipped her in his arm before pulling her back to him, his hand firmly cupping her back to pin down her wings. Smirking, he hooked his leg back around Klara's leg foot and waltzed across the floor with her, his grip on her arm tight and merciless. As the music came to a close, he kicked her left leg out from under her and grabbed her right leg and waist as she fell, holding her in an oddly elegant looking pose as her face hovered mere inches from the floor.

As the last note fell silent, no one dared say a word. With a victorious grin, Lotor dropped Klara onto the ground and turned to the queen, who stared at him with a look of utmost horror.

"Welcome to the Galra Empire, your highness." He purred before motioning for Axca and Ezor to release the women and her daughter.

"Klara!" Enoi wailed woefully as she ran to her daughter's side and threw her arms around her. "You can't have her! I won't let you take her from me!"

"Your daughter is now bound to me as my future bride by your own laws, milady. For her to dishonor those laws would be to shame herself and her family in the eyes of your people to the point of exile. Also, I would rain hell on this planet without hesitation." Lotor chirped smugly.

"Enoi, she must go." the queen mumbled in defeat, her eyes brimming with tears.

"No! They can't have her! They've taken enough from us!"

"Enoi, it is for our people!"

"She's my daughter!"

"She made her choice!" the queen exclaimed, her voice quivering as her spoke. "She must now abide by the consequences. It is our way."

"She's right, Lady Enoi. It is not fair that the majority be punished for the actions of the one. Please cease this selfishness and do what you must." Lotor hissed.

Enoi opened her mouth to speak but no words left her lips. Taking this as a sign of her surrender, Lotor gripped Klara's arm and pulled her to him while also keeping an eye on the other Lepidoptans in case of a surprise attack. Judging by the expression on Klara's face, she was still in such a state of shock that she could not speak or respond in anyway while her brain struggled to swallow the information. Smirking, he slid his hand into her windswept hair and tenderly caressed her cheek.

"Don't worry. I'll take very good care of her." He crowed. Turning to his generals, he gave them a simple nod then proceeded to guide Klara onto his ship.

"The princess will stay with me until our union to ensure she cooperates. Communications between our people will be established soon. Vrepit sa." He called casually over his shoulder.

"Wait!" Torc shouted before attempting to charge the ship. Zetherid and Narti immediately reached out and grabbed hold of him, grunting as they struggled to keep him in their grasp as he thrashed about.

Lotor frowned and arched an eyebrow before snapping in a rather icy tone, "What?"

"I am Klara's attendant. I must go with you." Torc insisted.

"She shall receive new attendants of my choosing. Your services are no longer required." Lotor replied curtly before dismissively waving his hand. Immediately, Narti and Zetherid threw Torc back before racing onto the ship after their comrades, the door closing behind them as Enoi and several others began to lament loudly. The collective cry of their voices was enough to finally shake Klara from her daze and the hum of the engine made the floor vibrate beneath her feet. Pushing Lotor away, she made a beeline for the door in hopes of either getting out or getting crushed but by then it was already closed. Sinking to her knees, she stared blankly at the door for several long dobashes, tears spilling down her cheeks in waterfalls as her shoulders shook beneath the invisible weight currently resting on them. Clenching her teeth, she suddenly leaped up and snatched Axca's gun from her belt, aiming it at Lotor as her trembling finger hovered millimeters above the trigger. Axca, Ezor, Narti and Zetherid all tensed up but Lotor did not seem even remotely alarmed.

"Take me back." Klara growled.

"I can't do that."

"Yes you can. Turn this pile of junk around and take me back!"

"You misunderstand the situation. You are not a hostage here; you are bound to me."

"I see no difference. Now take me back or I'll blow your brains out!"

Lotor sighed and shook his head. "I'm not dealing with this right now. Ezor!"

Immediately, a sharp pain erupted from the back of Klara's head, causing everything to go black just before her body hit the ground.


	8. Chapter 8

When Klara awoke, she wasn't sure what ticked her off more: being outsmarted by Lotor or the fact that whatever idiot had carried her into the unfamiliar, ornate room which she now occupied had decided to lay her down on her back and ultimately her very sensitive wings, which now ached unbearably. Nope, scratch that, she knew what angered her more.

_"That bloody Galra! I'm going to make him regret this a thousand times over!"_

After rolling onto her side to free her wings, Klara leaped off the bed or at least tried to, but just as her feet had barely brushed against the floor, she was yanked back by some unseen force and landed back first on the bed once again, rousing a groan from her as her wings throbbed sharply.

 _"What the heck was that?"_ Klara thought as she wildly scanned the violet-walled room for the one who had pulled her back, but the room was seemingly vacant except for her.

_"Wait, Lotor's one general! It has to be her! What was her name again?"_

"I know you're there...Erza? Ezra? Forget it! I know you're there, Galra! Show yourself!" Klara barked at the emptiness but received no response. Clenching her teeth, she tried to sit up again but we she tried to move, she found that her hands were pinned to the large metal bedpost. Instinctively, she swung her leg in a roundhouse kick at the invisible perpetrator holding her down, but to her confusion, her leg passed harmless through the air before hitting the ground, leaving her in an awkward, half-on-half-off the bed twist. Pursing her lips, she rolled herself back onto the plush mattress before proceeding to stare blankly at the ceiling above her, brows scrunched together in deep concentration. However, it was not deep enough to distract her from the quiet _beep_ that suddenly echoed throughout the deathly quiet room, her head snapping in the direction from which the noise had come. Confusion quickly stretched across her face as she stared up at the two jewel-encrusted silver bracelets adorning her wrists, ornaments she did not remember putting on or ever even owning. Curiosity peaked, she tried to move her hands again and watched as the bracelets were abruptly pulled back to the bedpost with a metallic _clang_.

_"So these are my bonds. Not bad but not good enough. Does he seriously believe I'm so primitive that I don't know about things like magnets? Heh, his mistake."_

Lips pursed, Klara turned her body so that she was sitting with her back away from the top of the bed and placed her feet flat against the headboard before giving a mighty push. To her delight, her hands pulled free from the pull of the metal on her bracelets and she flew backward; however, she had miscalculated the force required to free herself and as a result she soared clear off the bed and hit the ground hard, sending sharp pains shooting up from her back and wings. Nonetheless, a smile broke out on her face and she punched the air in celebration.

"Yes!-"

Suddenly, the bracelets gave another beep and the Lepidoptan was sharply jerked upwards, another metallic clang echoeing throughout the room followed by a loud creak and the jingling of glass on glass. As her feet dangled mere inches from the floor, Klara looked up to see a chandelier hanging just above her head, a metal chandelier adorned with glittering crystals and attached to the ceiling with a worn chain. Another groan left her lips.

_"Are you kidding me?! These things are that sensitive?! I wasn't even close to this thing!"_

Utterly annoyed now, Klara gave a short huff and began to swing her legs back and forth, causing the chandelier creak loudly as it swayed back and forth. Once she had enough momentum, Klara kicked her legs up over her head and silently cheered as her feet found the ceiling. Smirking smugly, she began to push again but this time her wrists didn't budge, making her smile drop. She tried again with greater force and was met with the same results. Nostrils flaring, she gave one final push followed by a sharp jerk of her arms, but instead pulling her bracelets loose, the force snapped the chandelier's chain and sent her plummeting to the floor with it in tow. Fortunately, the fixture was fairly small and didn't crush her as it fell on top of her, but she could tell from the way that her shoulders, back, and stomach were throbbing that she would more than likely be sporting some less than flattering bruises later. Sitting up slowly, Klara scowled down at the chandelier as it slid down into her lap, its jewels glittering innocently up at her in such a way that it seemed to be mocking her. Placing her feet on its rim, the Lepidoptan pushed down with all her might, panting slightly as her brows crinkled together from the strain, and after a few long ticks, her hands were free and the chandelier was sent rolling across the room.

 _"Finally!"_ Klara thought as she scrambled to her feet and made a beeline from the door, clutching her arms close to her chest to prevent the bracelets from attaching themselves to anything else. However, just the door's control panel was within her reach, the bracelets beeped again and Klara was pulled forward, practically tripping over herself as her wrists connected with the floor in front of her. After regaining her balance, Klara stared down at her wrists, completely perplexed.

 _"Wait a second. This ship is most likely comprised of all metal, including the floors..."_ she realized. Dropping to her knees, she threw back her head and screamed despite knowing full well that the subject of her wrath couldn't hear her, "Lotor!"

————————

She couldn't understand it. Yes, she was part Galra but that didn't mean she understood everything about them, so as Lotor watched the live footage streaming from the security camera in Klara's room, Axca couldn't help but stare at him in confusion. Sensing her eyes on him, Lotor tore his gaze away from the screen in front of him to glance up at her, his thumb gliding casually over the dial of the remote currently sitting in his hand.

"Is something troubling you, Axca?"

Axca was caught offguard by his question and quickly looked away. "It's nothing."

Lotor raised an eyebrow before turning his chair so he was facing her. "Don't lie to me, Axca. I can see right through you. Say what you're thinking."

A bead of sweat trickled down Axca's temple as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Forgive me if I am overstepping my place, Prince Lotor, but isn't this rather....petty? Wouldn't torture be a more effective way of punishing her for her crimes? I could request for Haggar to-"

"No. Haggar is not to be brought into this." Lotor interjected sharply, his tone now tinged with ice. "That woman will most likely kill Klara herself or send her to the arena to be killed. That will not be her fate, not until I have first had my revenge at least."

Axca stiffened at the harshness in his voice and bowed apologetically. "Of course, Prince Lotor. Please excuse my mistake."

Satisfied with her apology, Lotor turned back to the screen just in time to see Klara pull free from the floor only to get herself stuck to the wall in the process, rousing a smile from him. Not even bothering to look away from the screen, Lotor called to Ezor, who was sitting in a chair nearby, squinting down at a piece of paper in front of her, "Have you figured out what to do, Ezor?"

"I think so. I have to go by the pictures since the text isn't written in our language but I think I get the basic concept of what to do." Ezor replied distracted as she turned the page from side to side as she examined the step-by-step pictures from multiple angles.

"Then take Axca and Narti and go prep her for our evening together. Take this with you so you can detach her from the wall." Lotor stated, handing the remote to Axca before continuing. "If you run into Zetherid, tell her she is to stand guard by the door should the Lepidoptan somehow manage to evade from the three of you."

"Isn't that a bit excessive though?" Ezor inquired.

"Perhaps but excessive is better than inadequate is it not?"

——————————

When she heard the door slide open, Klara looked up to behold Axca, Ezor, Kova, and Narti looming over her and glared at them. Slung over the faceless Galra's shoulder was a piece of long black cloth one could only assume was a dress and a brush and some ribbon were clutched tightly in Ezor's hand as an unsettlingly mischievous sparkle glittered in her eyes.

"What do you want?" the Lepidoptan growled, wings open and ready in case she needed to take to the air.

Axca suppressed the scowl that tried to creep onto her face and instead took a step towards her. Springing to her feet, Klara swiped at the Galra female with her legs but missed, her shins smacking against the hard wall instead. Wincing, she tried to spin around to strike again but Axca quickly grabbed her legs and tucked them under one arm. Meanwhile, Narti and Ezor circled around the Lepidoptan, ducking to avoid being hit by her wildly flapping wings, and grabbed her arms before shooting Axca an expectant look. Tightening her grip on Klara's legs to ensure she couldn't wriggle free, Acxa used her freehand to pluck Lotor's remote from her belt and slowly turned the dial with her thumb. A shriek rose from Ezor as she, Narti, and Klara were suddenly pulled to the floor.

"Other way! Other way!"

Axca immediately turned the dial in the other direction and the cuffs gave a final beep before turning off. As Narti and Ezor stood up and lifted her once more, Klara glanced over her shoulder at the remote. Catching her gaze, Axca's eyes narrowed and she set the remote down on Klara's vanity, where it would remain far from her reach, before dragging her over to the bed in the corner with Narti and Ezor in tow, gritting her teeth as the woman thrashed about in her grasp.

"This is annoying! Can't we just knock her out like last time?" Ezor whined as she dodged another flap of Klara's wings while struggling to keep hold of the her arm.

"I have a feeling Lotor wouldn't approve. We don't know if she would wake up in time."

"What is Lotor planning exactly? Did he mention it?"

"No, he did not, which means it's none of our business. Now help me keep her down." Axca replied curtly as the trio placed Klara down onto the plush mattress.

"You mean you're not curious at all? I mean, a fancy black dress? A plush bedroom? Not the typical treatment for a prisoner."

Although her face remained the same, a knot formed in Axca's stomach when she realized Ezor was right. The pirate was being treated like an esteemed guest rather than the filthy lowlife that she was, and instead of receiving punishment after punishment for her crimes against Lotor, she was being showered in luxury. It made no sense.

"Lotor knows what he's doing. We just have to trust him." Axca replied sternly but Ezor immediately picked up on the traces of doubt now tainting her tone. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Axca quickly changed the subject. "Narti, get that dress ready. Ezor and I will take care of her current clothes."

Narti hastily obeyed and pulled the dress from her shoulder before proceeding to unzip it while Ezor reached for the knot securing Klara's top in place. However, just as the chameleon-like alien's fingers grazed the fabric, a defiant flap of Klara's wings forced her to draw back.

"Don't even try it." the Lepidoptan snarled, glaring daggers back at them as she continued to wriggle about like a fish out of water.

Pursing her lips, Axca climbed onto the bed and pinned Klara's left arm beneath one leg and her left leg under the other, freeing her hands to roughly grab hold of her delicate wings. Hissing, Klara tried to sit up in order to shove her off but Axca and Ezor held firm.

"Cut it out already! It's just a stupid dress! What's the big deal?!" Ezor exclaimed as she practically laid on top of Klara's right arm and leg to keep them in place.

Axca resisted the urge to roll her eyes; Ezor could be so naive sometimes.

At this point, steam was practically pouring from Klara's ears as she struggled to break free from the two stubborn Galra women. As Ezor cautiously attempted once more to untie the knot of her top, the Lepidoptan sharply jerked her head back, nailing the unsuspecting woman right in the nose, and Ezor's hands instinctively flew to cradle the injury as a whimper resounded from her throat. Wasting no time, Klara pulled her arm free from Ezor's grasp and shoved the injured general off of her before whirling around and digging her elbow into the side of Axca's skull. Despite the intense throbbing that now plagued her head, Axca refused to let go of Klara, particularly her wings, and gave them a sharp tug as the two of them tumbled off of the bed in a frenzy of arms and legs. Discarding the dress on the floor, Narti leaped on top of Klara as well, wrapping her clawed hand around the Lepidoptan's throat, but she was quickly knocked back by a well-positioned kick to the stomach. With Narti and Ezor still recovering, Klara focused her full attention on Axca, who clung to her like her life depended on it. Doing her best to move about with her wings and one half of her body still incapacitated by the general, Klara used the bedframe to pull herself to her feet and proceeded to slam Axca into the nearest wall, grunting upon impact. This seemed to do the trick because Axca released her immediately before sliding to the floor, her face contorted into a look of pain, and Klara immediately took the opportunity to sprint across the room and grab the remote that had been left on the vanity.

After scanning the device, she pressed the small button situated in the top right corner of the remote, and to her delight, the bracelets opened and fell off of her wrists with a clank. Snatching them up, she slowly inched towards the door and peeked into the hallway in search of any other threats. Upon noticing the large shadow rippling on the floor, the Lepidoptan grabbed what appeared to be a fairly expensive vase and threw it on the floor, causing it to shatter.

"What's going on in there?!" Came Zetherid's shout from the hall before she lumbered into the room. Before her mind could register the scene in front of her, Klara hastily clamped the bracelets down on the buff general's arms and turned the dial to the highest setting, resulting in Zetherid being pulled to the floor while she slipped past her.

"Hey! Get back here! Kova, get that remote!" Zetherid roared and Kova hastily obeyed, darting after Klara so quickly that he appeared to be no more than a black blur.

The sound of her running feet against the metal floor was like music to Klara's ears as she dashed down hall after hall, too preoccupied with relishing in her current success to notice how unusually vacant the ship seemed. However, as she rounded particularly sharp corner, she winced when she felt something sharp digging into her leg. Looking down, she saw Kova clinging to her leg, blood dribbling from where his nails had pierced her skin. Stopping for a moment, she jerked her leg wildly about in an attempt to throw him off but the feline remained fixed to her leg, yellow eyes glaring up at her as his tail flicked back and forth. Remembering the remote that was still tightly clutched in her had, Klara wound her arm back and threw it with all her might in the other direction.

"Go fetch, furball!"

Kova glanced back and forth between the remote as it soared through the air and Klara before finally leaping off of her leg and barreling after the remote. Spinning on her heels, Klara took off once more, doing her best to ignore the stinging from the scratches in her leg.

_"Come on, come on, come on! There's got to be an escape pod around here somewhere...There!"_

Once she beheld the familiar door nestled cozily within the ship's wall, Klara cautiously glanced both ways for any sign of soldiers or drones before scrambling over to it, nearly tripling over her own two feet in her haste. Sporting a beaming smile, she grabbed the handle and threw the door open with much gusto, a relieved sigh creeping up her throat. However, her breath became caught in her throat as a purple hand reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her forward till she was pressed against someone else's chest. Her captor immediately threw his spare arm around her waist, pinning down her wings and holding her in place as he sneered down at her, azure irises twinkling.

"I warned them not to underestimate you, but I guess there are no better teachers than Mistake and Failure." Lotor sneered as he grabbed Klara's chin between his thumb and forefinger and forced her to look up at him.

Klara tried to wiggle out of Lotor's grasp but he did not release her, his grip never wavering. Releasing her chin, Lotor allowed his hand to circle around to her back and ran his fingers along her wings, making her shudder, and upon reaching the base of her right wing, he grabbed the sensitive appendage and began to twist it ever so slightly, making Klara's body go rigid as she hissed in pain.

"There, much better. I didn't want to have to do this but you haven't given me much of a choice. Hopefully this won't kill you."

Klara stated at him in confusion till she felt something prick her neck. Slowly, the world around her began to turn fuzzy and her knees started to sway from side to side like when she was a babe just learning to walk. As her legs gave out, she felt Lotor catch her and draw her to his chest, his smiling searing itself into her mind while everything else began fading into darkness.

"Don't die on me, my bride."


	9. Chapter 9

_"Okay, people seriously have to stop knocking me out!"_

As she slowly returned to consciousness, a soft groan escaped Klara's lips due to the pounding migraine that plagued her head. Pursing her lips to silence any further verbal expressions of pain, she slowly forced her eyes open to be greeted by more purple and black blurs, although this room seemed to be more of a fuschia purple rather than a violet purple like the guest room where she had previously woken. As she blinked quickly in an attempt to wake further and bring the world around her into focus, an amused chuckle from somewhere nearby rang in her ears.

"You're finally awake. I was starting to wonder if I would need to call a medic."

Lotor's voice seemed to trigger something in Klara's brain because all of a sudden she was very wide away. Not wasting a single moment, she hastily grabbed whatever was closest to her, which luckily happened to be a knife, and sprang from her chair with as much force as she could muster. However, when she attempted to unfurl her wings and take to the vast space left by the room's high ceiling, she felt her gut sink slightly before it shot upwards into her chest as she fell back down and landed in her chair once more, her rear screaming in protest from the hard impact.

"I thought you would try to do that. Since the restraints on your hands proved less than sufficient, I've placed cuffs on your ankles as well as around your wings instead." Lotor purred smugly from where he sat at the other end of the long dining table comprised entirely of some kind of black rock.

Klara's eyes narrowed and she clenched her teeth as she held the knife threateningly out in front of her. "I swear, when this is all over, I'm going to cut you up in a thousand pieces and feed your remains to the Zephihilds as soon as I return home!"

"And the moment you kill me, my forces will rain fire on your people till not a single person is left and only ashes remain. Also, you entire crew will be executed in a heartbeat." Lotor hissed, his eyes sparkling as he watched the Lepidoptan's face flush hotter and hotter due to her blood boiling beneath her skin. "Now, if you would be so kind as to put the knife down, we could begin our meal."

"I'm not eating with you. What's your play, Lotor? Why am I here wearing a dress and not in a cell wrapped in rags like the rest of my men?" Klara snarled, her grip on the knife not slackening even slightly.

"Because unlike you, I am not a savage. While I did have to play underhandedly to get you here in the first place, I am a man of who believes in diplomacy. Now please put the knife down and relax; you're just embarrassing yourself." Lotor cooed as he plucked a shiny silver bell from the table and gave it a sharp ring.

Pursing her lips, Klara slowly allowed herself to ease back into her seat and dropped the knife with a loud clatter just as the string of sentry attendants filled in, their arms laiden with plates, goblets, and bottles. As soon as her meal was set out before her, Klara shrank back as the she stared in disgust at the assortment of red animal flesh strewn across the plate, its stench curling through the air and invading her nose. Swallowing the vomit that threatened to escape her lips, she pushed the plate away and instead grabbed the goblet only to set it aside as well when the pungent smell of alcohol mixed with the still dwindling stench of the meat. Lotor initially raised an eyebrow as he watched her but quickly dismissed her behavior as an act of sheer rebellion before taking a bite of his own carefully prepared steak. Glancing back and forth between the prince and her feet, Klara slowly laid one leg on top of the other and reached for the anklet currently clinging to her leg, making sure to never take her eyes off of Lotor for too long as she stretched her arm as best she could. However, as soon as her fingers brushed against the metal, she yelped and jerked back as a stinging shock shot throughout her hand and halfway up her arm.

"I made some modifications to your cuffs as well. I have upgraded them so that should they be touched by anything other than the sets of fingerprints I uploaded into their database, they will administer a shock like you just experienced. According to my test subjects, it is quite painful and leaves your hand feeling numb for a moment or so." Lotor said nonchalantly as he sipped on his wine.

Grumbling several unpleasant remarks about the prince under her breath as she massaged her now aching hand, Klara shot him a glare before deciding she had had enough of his games. "What exactly do you want from me, Lotor? I don't see what use I am to you."

"Oh I assure you, you have plenty of uses starting with that fighting style you've developed. It is quite unique in its nature and would be of great use to me." Lotor purred. "Then of course there are your....how do I put this politely....your breeding capabilities."

Klara's fingernails dug into the armrests of her chair as her nose crinkled in disgust. "You did not just go there....."

"You misunderstand, my dear. You will still very much be my wife. After all, we wouldn't want any scandals to further blacken my name and tarnish the reputation of our child before its birth."

"That's not the point."

"Now, now, there's no need to get upset. In fact, you should feel honored. You possess many characteristics that, combined with my own, would create a very unique and very gifted heir to my legacy. Do not fret, the relationship between us will remain completely diplomatic and I will not force you to bear me more than one child. Further, you will be treated to the greatest luxuries that can be offered-"

The flash of the knife as it soared through the air alerted Lotor just in time for him to duck to the side as the blade embedded itself in the back of his chair. The sentries, who had been standing quietly off to the side, immediately sprang into action and grabbed Klara's arms, forcing her back down into her seat as she thrashed about, hissing and spitting like a wild beast.

"It seems you are not interested in my offer..." the prince, who seemed unusually calm, remarked before reaching up to pluck the knife from where it had landed.

"I would rather die than bear you a child! You're promises of comfort and luxuries do not blind me! No matter what, I am a prisoner here, and I will not sell myself off just so my cell is slightly more comfortable and cozy than the rest." Klara spat, her eyes glittering this the flames of bonfires as she fought against the iron grip of the sentries.

"I see. Although I admire your grit, I am disappointed by your choice nonetheless." Lotor sighed before turning to the sentries. "Take her down to the vacant cell on level 3. I want her assigned to the cleaning crew in the arena. Any questions regarding disciplinary measures, health, and treatment will be brought to me directly and not to Haggar. Is that understood?"

The robots whirred in reply before roughly pulling Klara to her feet and marching her towards the door. Before she disappeared from sight, Lotor mockingly waved goodbye before resuming his dinner. Upon hearing footsteps, he looked up to see Axca, Ezor, Narti, Zetherid, and Kova entering the room. Smiling, he gestured to the four seats closest to him and waited till they had sat down and received food of their own before continuing to eat his.

"I assume she did not look favorably upon your offer?" Axca remarked as she eyed the divet made by the knife in the back of Lotor's chair.

"No, she did not, but I suspected that she wouldn't from the very beginning." Lotor remarked coolly. "She was not particularly found of the concept of bearing me a child to say the least."

"Would you have actually wanted her to be you a child or were you just suggesting such an idea to make her flustered?" Axca inquired, her lips curving into a troubled frown.

"To be honest, I am not sure. Although she does possess many qualities that would serve as powerful assets to my child, there are numerous complications that would be very tricky to sort out." Lotor replied as he took another sip of wine.

Ezor couldn't help the smirk that crept onto her face when she noticed Axca visibly relax at the prince's reassurances. When the stony woman noticed she was being watched, she shot a glare at her comrade, who giggled and winked at her before turning her attention to Lotor.

"So why did you do all this if you already knew she would deny your offer? Isn't that a waste?" she asked.

"It was not a waste. By offering that wench a taste of the luxuries I can offer her, I have planted a seed inside her that will come to fruition as she labors like a dog in the arena. Sooner or later, she will come to crave the privileges of being in my company and will come crawling back to beg like a dog at my feet, just as I hoped for. No revenge will be sweeter than to have her bowed at my feet, her spirit and body broken to the point of no repair. The price for offending the leader of the Galra Empire is death, and for her crimes, her pride must now perish."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Klara bit back the exclamation of protest that threatened to escape her lips as she was roughly shoved into the dark cell. Only once the door had closed behind her did she dare to move, ripping the ribbon out of her hair and unwinding the painfully tight braid that was responsible for her aching scalp. Sighing loudly, she leaned back against the wall and allowed her eyes to roam the blank walls and floor of her new home, familiarizing herself with every crack and dent. Soon, her gaze fell upon the vent implanted right above her head in the ceiling, particularly the bolts that held the vent in place. They appeared to be strong but if she could get a closer look, she could possible find some way to remove them. Gears turning in her mind, she quietly crept over to the door of her cell and pressed her ear against the coolly metal, her brows pinching together as she listened carefully for the faintest signs of life on the other side. Hearing a single set of footsteps, she held her breath and anxiously listened as the sound grew louder and louder as those responsible for the noise came closer. Just as a shadow passed over the door, everything suddenly fell silent as it lingered for a moment, and Klara's heart stuttered in its steady rhythm as she stared at the ominous black patch separating the rays of light that crept underneath the door and into her room. However, soon enough, the shadow disappeared and the footsteps resumed, growing fainter and fainter till they were no more.

As her heart resumed its quick beating, Klara fixed her gaze upon the vent once more before charging at the far wall and springing into the air. Pushing off of the wall, she propelled herself upwards and made a grab for the vent, but before she could get high enough, her anklets gave a quiet chirp and she was forcefully yanked back down and hit the floor with a pain bellyflop. Groaning as she hugged her stomach, Klara rolled out her back and stared blankly at the ceiling above. The vent seemed even smaller and farther away now, mocking her as it dwindled just beyond her reach. A sigh escaped her lips before she stood up and dusted herself off, flattening her back against the wall as she prepared to try again. However, just as she was about to take off, a quiet tapping caught her ear. Frowning, she brushed it off and repeated the same routine as before to produce the same results as well as an additional bruise on her stomach. As the insistent tapping continued, Klara began to notice something; the sounds seemed to be going in a pattern, circling over and over again only an endless repeat. Listening carefully, it dawned on her that she recognized this pattern, a code she had created that only a small handful of people knew. Heart leaping inside her chest, she crept around the room till she found where the sound was loudest and gave the wall a few taps of her own. The tapping suddenly stopped before picking back up again, now faster than before. Klara broke into a grin.

_Reiya! Reiya, is that you?!_

_Klara! Thank goodness!_

_Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?_

_Only a couple scrapes and bruises. Nothing serious. You?_

_Just annoyed. Are the others okay?_

_I don't know. Widget is the only other person I've encounter aside from you and that was just once in the arena. However, I heard news that Fletch got injured when he was forced to fight another prisoner and got dragged off to see Haggar._

_Haggar?_

_Yes. Whatever you do, you don't want to go anywhere near her and her druids. The people they take don't come back the same._

Klara swallowed thickly to dislodge of ball of fear and guilt forming in her throat.

_This arena...you haven't been forced to fight there, have you?_

_No. From what I've been able to gather, all of the cells along this hallway host prisoners who are part of the clean up crew._

_Is there anyone else from the crew here?_

_No, I don't think so._

_Klara began to nervously chew her lip. That wasn't the answer she had been hoping to hear._

_Reiya, I swear I'm going to get us all out of here. I-_

Suddenly, the door to the cell flew open, making Klara jump. Two sentries immediately marched in followed by a female Galra with one scar stretching over her lips and another marring the skin just above her left brow.

"Well? Get up or I'll drag you out of this cell myself! The arena is a bloody mess and there's another match of less than a varga!"

Klara quickly stood up but kept her hand pressed against the wall so she could tap one final message.

_I have to go. Don't die before I get back._

_I won't._

"What are you waiting for? Move it!" the Galra woman yelled as she roughly grabbed Klara by her hair and shoved her out of the cell. The two sentries hastily caught her and pinned her hands behind her back before escorting her down a series of identical looking hallways, each complete with their own set of sentries standing at attention as they walked past. As she passed one particular hallway, she noticed another set of sentries dragging an unconscious body in the opposite direction which she was headed, and her stomach sank when she realized the guards were holding none other than Widget. Although she wasn't awake, her face was contorted into a look of pain and her breathing was labored, as if she had just come from a great battle. A large cut on a forehead set blood dripping down the side of her face and onto the floor as she was pulled along. The Galra woman noticed Klara's wide eyes and followed her gaze, her lips curving into a smile as she realized why the Lepidoptan suddenly looked so pale.

"Seems like your friend has been in to see Haggar. Don't worry; you'll get your turn with the old hag soon enough." she mused smugly before sharply kneeing Klara in the rear to prompt her forward. "Keep moving!"

Soon, the group came to a large set of double doors complete with a keypad. Stepping forward, the Galra woman hastily typed in a series of numbers and allowed her hand to be scanned, and a few second later, the door slid open to reveal nothing but darkness. Following the woman closely, Klara was swallowed by the darkness till a light somewhere suddenly flicked, temporarily blinding her. Once she was able to see again, Klara found herself standing on a flat platform, surrounded by thousands of empty benches all around. The floor reeked of sweat and blood and the numerous stains on the floor, some new and some old, were not reassuring.

"Prince Lotor requested that you clean the arena alone today." the Galra woman purred as she set a bucket of soapy water and some rags at Klara's feet. As she looked up and locked eyes with the Lepidoptan, her lips twisted into a wicked sneer. "Make this place spotless in half a varga or there will be consequences."

The two sentries holding Klara roughly pushed her onto the floor before retreating to stand by the door while the Galra woman eased herself down onto one of the benches in the first row and stared at the princess expectantly. Locking her jaw to keep the hateful words she wished to say from spewing from her lips, Klara got onto her hands and knees and grabbed one of the rags. However, as she dipped the rag in the water, she nearly cried out in pain; it was boiling hot!

The Galra woman chuckled in amusement as she leaned back in her seat. "Oops, I forgot to mention that it's hot. Be careful."

Holding her burnt hand to her chest, Klara hastily took one of the other cloths and wrapped it around injury before proceeding to grab hastily fish the wet rag out of the bucket, doing her best not to get burned again. As she began scrubbing one of the stains, she noticed that the bloodstain had a bit of a bluish tint to it, a trait that belonged to Phinchens like Ratch. She was cleaning was mopping up the blood of her teammate.

"Go faster!" the Galra woman barked from her seat.

Blinking back the hot tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, Klara scrubbed at the spot with more aggression in hope of relieving some of the emotions pent up inside her. Unfortunately, the harder she scrubbed, the more upset she seemed to feel.

 _"This is my fault."_ she mentally scolded herself. _"If I hadn't be so cocky and careless, none of us would be in this mess right now. Maybe...Maybe it's not too late... Perhaps I can work out a compromise with Lotor to get them better treatment-"_

Klara suddenly froze when she realized what she just proposed. Was she really willing to sink to that level? Could she really do that?

_"No....No, I won't sell myself out like that. I'll never be able to look my crew in the eye again if I do such a thing. I'm going to get them out of here and beat Lotor, and I'm going to do it in a way that will make them all proud."_


	10. Chapter 10

_18 Quintents Later...._

Hearing the footsteps rapidly approaching her cell, Klara forced herself up from where she lay curled up in a fetal position on the floor and into a sitting position, her back pressed flat against the cold metal wall as the world spun in circles before her.

 _"Just breathe, Klara. You're fine. You've dealt with a lot worse. Just keep breathing."_ She coached herself, taking long, deep breaths through her nose and out her mouth in an attempt to chase away the dizziness she felt.

The door to her cell swiftly slid open to reveal a sentry standing outside, a tray cradled in its arms. Placing the tray on the floor, it kicked it towards Klara before shutting the door once more, leaving her by herself once again. Raising her head slightly, Klara careful picked up the tray and set it in her lap only for her lips to curl back in disgust when she realized most of its contents were once again scraps of meat based food just as they had been for all her other meals. Ignoring the pained groans of her empty stomach, she plucked off of tray the small glass of water that was included with her meal and pushed the rest away from her. Lifting the water to her lips, she thirsty gulped it down despite the fact that it only worsened the churning of her stomach and then tossed the cup aside as well. Taking more deep breaths to keep herself from throwing up, she rested her head against the wall to her right and began to slowly tap out a message.

_Reiya, are you there?_

A long pause ensured before tapping echoed from the other side of the wall.

_You're tapping is even weaker than yesterday, Klara. You need to eat. You're losing your strength._

_No. I'm not eating that heap of flesh. Even if I was willing to compromise and eat it, it would do me no good because it will probably make me sick._

_Klara, the last time you ate was six days ago and that was just a little bit of bread. You can't go on like this. You'll die!_

_No. I'm not letting them win. It's going to take a lot more than an empty stomach to kill me, Reiya._

Suddenly, the door to Klara's room opened again and the same two sentries she had encountered her first day on the ship filed into the room, guns pointed threateningly at her as always. Sighing, the Lepidoptan slowly rose her to feet and placed her arms behind her back while the two robots circled behind her, grabbing her wrists tightly as they tucked barrels of their blasters underneath her folded wings and pressed them against the small of her back to prompt her forward. Blinking as she stepped into the light of the hallway, Klara drank in the sight she had grown accustomed to: pairs of two or more sentries roughly dragging prisoners out of their cells and forcing them into a double file line. Taking her place directly in front of Reiya, the pirate shook from side to side to clear away the blurriness clouding her vision but it only seemed to make the problem worse. As she stood in line, the sounds around her began to distort and warble till they were indistinguishable from one another while her now significantly slimmer body swayed unsteadily back and forth. Reiya bit her lip a Klara took one particularly steep lean to the side and after quickly shooting a glance at the sentries to make sure they weren't looking, she hastily stuck out an arm to steady her friend.

"Thank you..." Klara mumbled. However, something about Reiya's arm quickly caught her eye, "Rey, what happened to your scales?!"

Reiya hastily yanked her arm back and covered it with her hand to hide the small, discolored scabs that poked out from amongst the patch of turquoise scales running up her forearm. She tried offering her comrade a reassuring smile, but Klara wasn't buying it. However, before she could question her friend further, a loud _slap_ rang throughout the hallway as one of the sentries struck her across the face. Glaring hotly at the responsible mechanical soldier, Klara spat at him before returning her gaze forward and shuffling after the rest of the group, which had already made its way down the first hall and around the corner. The world continued to blur and sharpen randomly the entire walk to the arena, the buzzing symphony of all the ship's functions thundering in her ears as if they were being broadcast over a loudspeaker. It wasn't until they stepped into the dimly lit arena maintenance closet to retrieve their mops, buckets, and rags that she experienced peace just for a moment, but sadly that moment did not last very long at all and she was soon roughly shoved into the arena by the sentries.

The crew in charge of cleaning up the carnage from the fights was just filing out as Klara's group entered. Even the prisoners who were veterans on the squad seemed shaken today, their eyes glossed over a distant as they reflected over what they had seen. The newer members of the squad were turning ghastly shades of whatever their natural skin tone was and all of them looked like they were about to be sick as they leaned against one another, mouths agape and sweat trickling down their brows. Klara's heart clenched fearfully in her chest as she entered the area and was greeted by the smell of iron and sweat. The numerous blood spatters were bright red today, indicating that the fight had been recent, and although that meant they would be easier to clean up, the Lepidoptan's stomach dropped nonetheless.

The female Galra, whom Klara had learned was called Scriphix, was not standing on the floor like usual but loomed in the stands above, glancing over her shoulder with disdain at the returning crew for only a moment before turning back to whomever she was conversing with. Armed with a bucket of lukewarm soapy water and a threadbare rag that was in serious need of retirement, Klara shuffled over to what had more or less become her designated corner, doing her best to keep all the water from sloshing out of her bucket as she stumbled along. However, as she walked, she felt her foot bump something and heard a metallic clink as said object skidded across the floor. Allowing her curiosity to get the better of her, Klara trailed after the tiny, bloodstained, golden trinket, which looked like a badge of some kind, and scooped it up into her hands only to drop it along with her bucket of water when she realized exactly what she was holding.

 _"That...That was a medal of the inhabitants of Rygnirath, of Coban's people..."_ she thought, her hand cupped over her mouth to prevent her from throwing up as her heart stuttered in her chest. Dropping to her knees, she felt hot tears beginning to drip down her cheeks as her throat was filled with suppressed sobs. _"Coban....No, he can't be.....Not him.....Why him?"_

"What are you doing?! Clean that mess up!" Scriphix screeched from her perch, but Klara barely heard her as she stared at the medal as it now seemed to glare accusingly at her. Reiya was at her side by now and staring that the little badge as well, her big eyes widening even further as her fair skin turned whiter than a ghost.

"Don't make me come down there, princess! Stop gawking and get cleaning or you'll be in the ring next!" Scriphix continued to scream but she fell silent as a slender hand clamped firmly down on her shoulder.

"Now Scriphix, give the poor girl a break. That was one of her comrades that was so brutally butchered in the arena today. Let her grieve for a moment." Lotor purred softly before releasing her from his grip and making his way down the steps and onto the arena floor, Narti and Ezor in tow. As he passed, the other prisoners all dropped to their knees and kept their eyes on the ground, but Lotor had little interest in them. Crouching down in front of Klara, he slipped his forefinger underneath her jaw and gently tilted it upwards so she was looking him dead in the eyes.

"I could've prevented this. While he would have still been a prisoner, I could've had him and the rest of your crew placed on the maintenance crews along with you and your giant friend here. All you had to do was say yes." he cooed as he gazed at her with mock sympathy.

Reiya's nostrils flared at Lotor's words but the second she took a step towards the prince her arms were immediately grabbed by Narti and Scriphix. After shooting a glance in their direction to make sure she was adequately restrained, Lotor returned his attention towards Klara only for his smirk to falter when he noticed the glassiness of her eyes. "Klara?"

Klara weakly glanced up at Lotor again before her eyes rolled back into her skull and she began to fall backwards. Lotor immediately lunged forward to catch her before her head hit the ground, his heart pounding in his ears as he stared at her pale, gaunt looking face that was far too corpse-like for his own personal comfort.

"Klara?! Klara?! Klara, answer me now!" he exclaimed as he began to roughly shake her, but her body merely flopped about like a ragdoll. Temper and panic rising in unison, Lotor whipped around to glare at Scriphix, you shrank back beneath his gaze.

"What have you done? I told you to make her life a living hell, not kill her!" he hissed as he menacingly rose to his feet and stalked towards her, Klara still cradled in his arms.

Scriphix swallowed a whimper as she took a single step back. "I...I...She...I did what you ordered, sir!"

"You can say that to me with straight face? I didn't want her to die; I wanted her to suffer!" Lotor spat as he thrust Klara's limp body into the woman's face. "You are responsible for this. Pray for your own sake that she makes it for if she does not, you can count on me holding you personally responsible for my victory being stolen from me."

Scriphix took a second step back before dropping down to one knee, her expression grave. "Yes, Prince Lotor."

Ignoring her completely, Lotor jerked his head to the side as a signal for Narti and Ezor to follow him quickly exiting the area with Klara held close to his chest. Reiya tried to run after them, but the other prisoners hastily caught her and pulled her back, hugging her close as she silently cried.

"Narti, I want two druids brought to my room immediately. Tell Haggar it's urgent and if she doesn't cooperate then drag the druids there." Lotor barked as he bustled along, his eyes never lingering from Klara's face for too long. "Ezor, I want all records on Klara brought to me as well. Security footage, schedule, everything you can find. That wench Scriphix better hope I don't find anything that links directly back to her."

Ezor and Narti nodded in understanding before quickly dashing down the first hallway that branched off of their current path. Meanwhile, Lotor continued forward, paying no mind to the stares he received as he briskly made his way to his room, all the while glancing at Klara's chest to make sure it was still rising and falling. Upon finally reaching his destination, he hastily shuffled inside and set Klara down on a nearby couch just as Narti returned with the two druids. The two druids glanced back and forth between Lotor and Klara, and although masks covered whatever portion of their faces that weren't draped in shadow, he could tell they were confused.

"I have a personal vendetta to settle with this woman. She cannot die until then. Figure out what is wrong with her and fix it." the prince barked. Seeing Ezor slip through the door with a tablet in hand, he stepped away from Klara so the druids could begin their work and approached his general.

"What have you found?"

"I managed to find her entire profile on the prisoner database. I've already reviewed the contents and I think I spotted the problem. Take a look at this." Ezor stated before handing the tablet over to Lotor.

The prince raised an eyebrow as he read through the data. "This is her meal log?"

"Yes sir."

"And the notes say that most of the food came back untouched..."

Frowning, Lotor turned to the druids to the Klara. As he stared at her, he realized she looked much thinner than most of the other prisoners, including the rest of her crew.

"So she's malnourished..." he concluded quietly. After thinking for a moment, he continued reading through the meal log. Ezor could tell based on his pinched brows and pursed lips that he had an idea.

"Her meals...they're all meat based...." Lotor finally mumbled.

Ezor tilted her head to the side in puzzlement. "And that means...."

"Ezor, bring me that book we acquired on her people. I believe I have overlooked something important."

"Yes sir."

As Ezor scampered out again, Lotor shot one final look at Klara. Her face twitched occasionally as the druids examined her but other than that she was still very much unconscious. Nonetheless, he quietly whispered aloud a single promise to her.

"You are not allowed to die, pirate, not until you've begged for mercy."

—————————————

When she could finally open her eyes again, Klara was surprised to find herself sprawled on a couch with an IV attached to her arm. Groaning, she tried to sit up but found that her muscles were still asleep.

"So you've woken."

Klara immediately whipped her head in the direction of Lotor's voice, glaring daggers at him as he leaned against the nearest wall, his smiling eyes fixed on her face.

"You're a lot of trouble, you know that. Your scaly Syrose friend just about caused a riot when we took you. I suspect her punishment is currently being discussed as we speak."

Klara's eyes widened in horror, causing Lotor's smirk to grow. Crossing over to her, he eased himself down beside her on the couch and grabbed her chin.

"You can put a stop to this. All you have to do is say yes."

"....No.....I will never allow myself to be tainted by your kind...." Klara grunted weakly as she scowled up at him. Despite her circumstances, the fire in her eyes seemed to glow even brighter, much to Lotor's disdain and confusion.

"Very well then." the prince sighed as he rose to his feet and began to walk away. "It is a shame. Perhaps after your entire team is dead you will come to your senses."

Klara's heart lurched as her mind flashed back to the image of Coban's bloodied medal on the arena floor, and before she could stop herself, she had instinctively reached out and grabbed Lotor's arm before he could leave. The Galra prince glanced back at her with a hint of amusement.

"What is it? Have you more to say?" He purred knowingly.

Klara swallowed thickly, mentally bracing herself for what she was about to do. "I-I'll do it. Please, just don't hurt them any longer."

Lotor's face brightened as the bells of victory rang in his ears. However, this wasn't enough; he needed more.

"Very good. However, I must apologize for I have been dishonest with you. When I proposed that you would bear my child, I was merely jesting. I just wished to see how low you were willing to sink. Seems you truly have no shame after all, your highness."

Klara didn't know how to respond as feelings of anger, fear, shock, and humiliation whirled around in her head to create one chaotic typhoon.

"You mean...You won't save them..."

"I'm afraid so. It's not your fault; you had nothing to give me in the first place in exchange for their lives."

No. No, she couldn't let this happen! She couldn't!

"Please, there has to be something you want from me."

"I already have you groveling at my feet. What more could I ask for-"

"I'll be your servant!"

Lotor blinked at her sudden exclamation before smiling. "Oh?"

"I'll grovel at your feet every day. I'll bend over backwards to please you. Just don't let any more of them die." Klara pleaded, her lip quivering though she refused to cry.

"Hmm. That is a tempting offer." Lotor sneered. After a moment, he pressed a button on the wall and two sentries walked in a moment later. "Take this woman and have her bathed and groomed. Dress her in the garb of a royal servant and bring her back to me when you are done."

The sentries bowed respectfully then quickly dragged Klara out of the room. As she walked with her head down, Klara felt violated and used. Half of Lotor's threats had been no more than mind games, and Conan had paid the price for her not being able to distinguish between a bluff and an actual threat. Rage coursing through her veins, she grit her teeth and clenched her fists as she thought of Lotor's cocky grin.

_"He thinks he has won? Heh, he's sorely mistaken. The cycle of revenge doesn't cease, not until one of the parties is dead."_

————————

Haggar's frown deepened as she mulled over what the druids had told her.

"See what you can find out about this girl. She could potentially be a problem." the old witch mumbled to her minions before lurking off, leaving the druids to do her bidding. As she was walking, she stopped when she heard footsteps and quickly hid behind one of the many large pillars lining the hallway. Her eyes narrowed as she watched two sentries walk past, the girl the druids had described standing between them.

_"It would seem Lotor has decided to make himself a new toy. This could prove.....troublesome."_


	11. Chapter 11

"Klara, why am I looking at an empty plate?"

"Klara, why are my clothes not laid out for me?"

"Klara, I want a hot bath drawn by the time I return. Make sure the water is exactly the way I like it."

"Klara, I'm bored. Entertain me."

"Klara!"

"Klara!"

"Klara!"

As the door of the utilities closet slammed shut behind her, Klara slid down to her knees and screamed into the pile of used rags she currently held clutched to her chest. She had only been working for Lotor for around ten quintents and she was already regretting her decision.

 _"If he calls my name one more time, I swear I'm going to strangle him in his sleep!"_ She thought to herself as she leaned against the door and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of peace the closet blessed her with. However, her moment of bliss quickly came to an end as the door to the closet was suddenly flung open, leaving her to fall on her back.

"There you are! Lotor wants you." Ezor chirped as she stared down at Klara, an smile on her lips and a glitter in her eye.

Klara groaned and slowly got up.

"Of course he does." She grumbled under her breath, tossing the rags she was holding into the pile in the corner where they would later be retrieved and washed. With Ezor trailing behind her to make sure she didn't try to make a mad dash, she began walking down the hallway in the direction of Zarkon's throne room. While her eyes remained fixed in front of her, her ears listened acutely to everything going on around her, a skilled she had quickly developed her time in captivity. As she predicted, the sound of marching feet rang in her ears just as she came to the T-intersection just outside of the throne room and she slowed to a stop as a parade of sentries marched past, a few of them shooting glances at her as they passed. Once they had gone, Klara took a deep breath and, after mentally preparing herself for whatever was to come, pushed open the throne room, peeking her head inside.

Lotor stood with his back to the door as he stared at his father's empty throne, his face set in a scowl and his folded arms resting against his chest. A thick layer of undisturbed dust had taken up residence on the seat and its metal garnishments now looked somewhat dull, but Zarkon's intimidating aura still permeated the air around it, sending an involuntary shudder down Lotor's spine.

"You called?"

Breaking from his daze, Lotor turned to face Klara only to immediately raise an eyebrow at her. Realizing the cause of his reaction, Klara swallowed the irritated sigh that tried to escape her lungs and slowly dropped down to her knees. Almost immediately, a smile bloomed on Lotor's face.

"Much better. However, you also forgot to address me properly once again." the prince cooed smugly.

Klara pursed her lips. "You called, my prince?"

"Yes, I did. I am meeting with the head of the Galra outpost that has been established on your home planet to discuss the progress of integrating your people into the empire as well as investigating the natural resources that we could use to our advantage. Given that I do not trust you enough to leave you behind, you will be accompanying me. Perhaps you'll be able to share some valuable insight." Lotor purred, his smirk widening when he noticed Klara's body go stiff.

"This was supposed to be about me, not my people. They were not supposed to be involved in this." she practically growled, her voice barely above a whisper but angry nonetheless.

"Yes, but I also said that they would become part of the Galra Empire. If I did not keep my word and act, they would grow suspicious, wouldn't they?" Lotor chirped matter-of-factly, his eyes glittering with sheer pleasure as they remained fixed on the poor girl, drinking in every twitch of her brow and clench of her jaw.

"You could have just left them alone. They don't need to be involved in this. The Galra have already taken enough from them!"

"Sharing resources and living under Galra supervision is a small price to pay in comparison to what normally would've been done to them were I not leader of the empire.You should be thankful that I took into consideration the concept of innocent bystanders rather than inflicting severe punishment on the masses for the actions of one."

"You still don't have to take from them. I could show you how to grow the crops yourselves for food and-"

"Galra don't have time for farming. I'm sure the soldiers stationed there are only taking their fair share of the food."

"I have a feeling that our definition of fair is very different from yours."

"Well, even if they do take everything, your people know where to look for more food."

"Yes and those places are usually crawling with predators!"

"They've gotten past them before, haven't they?"

By now, Klara was faintly trembling due to the emotion swelling up inside her, her eyelashes fluttering like a hummingbird's wings as she blinked back the hot, angry tears welling in her eyes. Suddenly, her chin was forced upwards so she was looking Lotor in the eye as he crouched in front of her.

"Now now, there is no need to cry; you should be happy. You'll be getting to see your home again, though it will likely be somewhat different than what you remember." he purred as he brushed a strand of hair off of her face.

Without thinking, Klara sharply smacked Lotor's hand away. Realizing what she had done, she tried to pull back but by that time Lotor had already grabbed hold of her wrist.

"That was a very unwise course of action." He chastised her, his gaze now icy and his voice stern and reprimanding. Pulling Klara to him, he held her fast against his chest and leaned in close enough that their noses touched as he looked her dead in the eyes.

"Given that you have been cooperative as of late, I will overlook this little incident just once, but take heed because this shall be your only warning. Should you ever lash out at me again, especially in front of my subordinates, I will not hesitate to punish you harshly. Am I understood?" He stated coldly, his grip on her wrist tightening with every word.

Swallowing the current urge to spit right in his face, Klara lowered her eyes like she had learned and nodded.

"I didn't hear anything." Lotor snapped.

"....Yes."

"Yes what?"

Klara bit her lip to the point that it began to bleed a little. "....Yes, my prince."

"Good. Now, go get cleaned up. You might be a savage marauder but you must look as if you have at least some class if I am taking you with me. Find Ezor and have her help you." Lotor purred, his sneer returning as he rose to his feet and brushed past her. However, he had taken no more than a few steps before he suddenly stopped and turned toward her, a hint of annoyance on his face as he held his hand out expectantly. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice? Give it here."

Klara didn't move.

"Now."

Slowly, Klara removed her hand from beneath her wings and placed in Lotor's open palm the dagger she had slipped off of his belt while he was scolding her. She remained where she was with her head down till the sound of Lotor's footsteps had faded into nothingness before daring to rise to her feet. Reaching beneath her wings, she retrieved the other item she had snitched from Lotor's belt, a single flare no larger than her thumb, and held it to her chest; it may not be lethal but it was bound to have some use later on. After tucking the flare back into her own belt in a spot where it would be concealed by her wings, she hurried out of the throne room only to receive a right hook to the cheek as soon as she stepped into the hall. Staggering to regain her balance, Klara whirled around with full intention of swinging back but froze when she came face to face with the barrel of a blaster, the ominous glow of its laser core making her heart skip a beat.

"You will not address to Prince Lotor like that again." Axca snarled, her usually impassive expression replaced by a slightly angrier one as her finger hovered merely millimeters above the trigger of the gun.

Shifting her eyes from the gun to Axca, Klara raised a speculative eyebrow. "I don't believe Lotor would be pleased to know you are fighting his battles for him behind his back."

Pursing her lips, Axca struck Klara across the face again, this time with the butt of the gun. "I will not allow you to bring shame to Lotor. You _will_ learn your place."

"You know, this whole good Galra, bad Galra thing doesn't really work if both of you are playing the bad Galra." Klara replied smugly, smiling despite the aching in her cheeks.

Axca's brow twitched slightly before she swiftly reached out and roughly grabbed Klara by her bangs, making her flinch. "You better hope Lotor gets to you first if you screw up because if he doesn't, I will personally punish you myself."

"If you are threatening to kill me then you might want to reconsider. From what I've heard, Lotor wants me kept alive."

"Believe me, I'll make you wish you were dead."

"Believe _me_ , I already do. I'd finally get a break from his Royal Highness' whining."

At this point, steam was about ready to pour out of Axca's ears as her grip on Klara's hair tightened. However, before she could say anything else, a familiar, chipper humming wafted down the hall along with Ezor's light footsteps.

"Axca...What are you doing?"

Releasing Klara's bangs, Axca slowly stood up and stiffly brushed past Ezor, who glanced back and forth between her and the Lepidoptan in confusion.

"Take the prisoner and prep her to accompany Lotor to the base in the Tau quadrant. Make sure she is presentable and won't embarrass us." the bluenette stated curtly.

"Um...okay?"

As she left Ezor to deal with Klara, Axca took long, deep breaths to calm herself as she made her way to the place she knew Lotor would most likely be. As she walked, images of Klara's cheeky grin danced in her mind, taunting her. They had accomplished nothing; she wasn't broken at all!

As she entered Lotor's personal hangar, Axca silently made her way up to him and dropped down onto one knee till he acknowledged her. As he turned to face her, Lotor immediately noticed her expression was off ever so slightly.

"You look troubled, Axca." he purred softly.

"Sire, forgive me if I am overstepping my place but I have some concerns regarding the prisoner..."

"So you've noticed it too..." Lotor mused as he stared at his ship, his expression thoughtful. "Despite my best efforts, that defiant spark in her eye has yet to be snuffed out. She has proven to be harder to break than I originally expected."

"Perhaps we should resort to harsher disciplinary methods."

"Perhaps....or maybe we just haven't struck the right chord yet."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Although she likely loathes being my servant, Klara is willing to endure my torment because I have promised to keep her team out of harm's way in return. However, I have made no such vow regarding her people."

"Do you plan to enslave them?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet. However, that is the most likely scenario."

"Is that why you wish to bring her with you? So she knows her people are suffering because of her?"

"More or less, although I also truly do not trust her to stay back by herself." Lotor cooed. "Is Ezor prepping her?"

"As we speak, Prince Lotor. She will likely be ready within the hour."

"Good. Go wait with Zetherid and Narti until I call for you."

"Yes sir. Vrepit sa."

"Vrepit sa."

\---------------------------------------------

Quorokine. The gluttonous, boar-like creatures of her home world were the first thing that came to mind when Klara first laid eyes on the Galra commander in charge of "relations" between her people and the Galra Empire. His head looked quite small in comparison to the rest of his body as he sat slouched in his chair, his monstrous potbelly and flabby limbs sagging in a way that was quite unattractive. The large, tusk-like teeth that curled up over his top lip and his tiny, beady yellow eyes added to the likeness between the two, and if not for the fact that the Galra was bald as bald could be and not covered with scales, Klara might actually have mistaken him for one of the beasts himself.

"So this is what the Lepidoptans look like, eh? I haven't gotten a chance to go to the village myself so I haven't seen them yet. My, she's quite a beauty! You sure they're vicious savages?" the commander purred as he scanned Klara from head to toe with hungry eyes, smiling in such a way that it sent chills down the girl's spine.

"Most of the people are fairly docile; however, there are a few defective ones who are more aggressive." Lotor purred as he shot Klara a sly glance, his smile widening slightly when he saw her back stiffen.

The commander let out a wet, throaty chuckle that made his fat to jiggle like gelatin. "That is to be expected of all societies, I suppose. Ah, where are my manners? You are likely famished from your journey. Please, take some of this food we acquired from the locals."

At the snap of the man's fingers, two robots entered carrying plates laiden with colorful fruits. A second pair followed behind them with large pitchers, one filled with water so clear it looked like glass and the other bubbling to the brim with a strong, blood-colored wine Klara could smell from the other side of the room. As the familiar smell filled her nose, the princess's brow crinkled in slight confusion but she eventually dismissed the issue as cultural ignorance. However, her puzzlement did not go unnoticed.

"What is it?" Lotor stated as he stared up at her with a raised eyebrow.

Realizing that all eyes were on her now, Klara nervously rang her hands and purposely looked everywhere except at Axca, whose scalding gaze she could feel burning holes through her.

"It...It is nothing. I was merely confused as to why you are serving Lo- the prince funeral wine." She mumbled. However, what puzzled her even more was the fact that the Galra had found the wine. Normally, it was stored in a hidden cave and only brought to the village when death was believed to be near to avoid misfortune from falling on the people.

"Is that what this stuff was originally for? Heh, I guess that makes sense given recent circumstances." the commander grunted as he slurped down some of the wine that had been poured into his goblet.

"Recent circumstances, Commander Beliazar?" Lotor echoed questioningly.

"Yes. From what my boys have told me, the old crone in charge there got really sick not too long ago; most of the villagers seem convinced that she's going to croak soon-"

A loud crash cut the man off. All eyes turned to Klara as she stood in the middle of a puddle of spilled wine, Lotor's goblet at her feet. The corner of Axca's mouth twitched but she said nothing.

"I apologize, my prince. It slipped from my hand." Klara mumbled and stiffly knelt down to mop up the mess, biting her lip to keep it from quivering.

"A bit clumsy, isn't she? Stop stop! You're just spreading the mess around!" Beliazar barked before motion for the robots to attend to the mess.

Head bowed, Klara backed away and seated herself on the floor next to the couch where Lotor currently lounged. Frowning, Lotor glanced over at her and immediately noticed something different about her, and his breathing hitched slightly when he realized what it was. The light in her eyes was flickering dangerously, growing dimmer and dimmer as she stared down at her lap. She was breaking. The old hag's death was going to to break her.

_"So why do I not feel satisfied?"_

Frowning, Lotor snapped his fingers to get Klara's attention. When the Lepidoptan raised her head to look at him, the glow's fade stalled.

"Yes?"

"Grab some of the fruit from the table and bring it to me."

"Yes, my prince."

 _"She didn't even roll her eyes at me or glare."_ Lotor frowned as he watched Klara gather several pieces of colorful produce. Eyes flickering to Beliazar, he pursed his lips till they became a thin, firm line. The commander had been the one to tell Klara her grandmother was dying; he was the one that was breaking her, not Lotor. That must be why he wasn't pleased by Klara's lack of resistance, right?

Soon, Klara was by his side again, holding out the plate of food she had plucked from the table. Picking up a spherical fruit with spiky skin, Lotor turned it over in his hands for a moment before handing it back for her.

"Well, what are you waiting for? I can't eat this with the skin. Start peeling." He clucked.

Klara's head immediately snapped upward and Lotor was pleased to see the flame in her eyes brightening. Biting the inside of her cheek, the Lepidoptan set the plate aside and began stripping away the skin of the fruit, wincing slightly when the thorns pricked her palms but saying nothing because she knew better than to ask for anything sharp to peel with instead. Meanwhile, Lotor picked up his replaced glass of wine and took a tiny sip. Immediately, a wave of warmth and pleasant humming hit him hard, causing him to shake his head to clear it before setting the cup back down. Almost immediately, one of Beliazar's robotic attendants hurried over and refilled his glass to the brim. Raising an eyebrow, Lotor casually brought the cup to his lips once more and watched as the robot refilled the cup again. For a moment, a suspicious frown graced his lips but it disappeared almost as quickly as it had come.

"Hey, that stuff looks pretty good! Come here and peel me some too." Beliazar croaked, his eyes sparkling with mischief. After shooting a glance at the prince, he added, "That is, if it's okay with you, Prince Lotor."

Klara immediately shot Lotor a pleading glance, her eyes wide like a frightened doe's. Lotor could barely resist the urge to smile.

"You heard the man, Klara. Hurry up." he chirped smugly.

The hair on the back of Klara's neck stood on end as she glared at Lotor for a moment before slinking over towards Beliazar. Eying the plump Galra hostilely, she pressed herself up against the table to put as much distance between them as possible before slowly turning around, glancing at him once more over her shoulder before grabbing another piece of thorn-coated fruit. However, almost as soon as her nails had pierced the skin, she felt a large hand cupping her rump. Instinctively, she unfurled her large wings and used them to swat his hand away. However, to her disdain, Beliazar now stared at her wings in awe.

"Breathtaking." He murmured. Slowly, he reached out one hand towards the delicate appendages. "You truly are a work of art. Perhaps, if it pleases the prince, I could borrow you for a while-"

As soon as Beliazar's sausage-like fingers brushed against her wing, Klara's world became a blur. She barely felt anything as she spun around and struck the hog across the face with the back of her hand, the fires of damnation burning in her eyes, nor did she hear Axca's angry shout from across the room. It was only when she left the cold lips of a gun on her neck and someone's tight grip on her arm that she snapped back to her senses, the slight throb of her hand testifying to what she had done. Beliazar now lay on the floor, cradling his bruised cheek as his shock slowly melted away, replaced by anger.

"You...You little witch! How dare you strike me!" He roared as he rolled to his feet and loomed over Klara. However, just as he was raising his hand to strike her, Lotor cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Klara, come here please." He stated flatly, his expression eerily calm.

Klara swallowed the lump swelling in her throat as she slowly pulled out of Axca's grasp and slunk over to the prince.

"Turn around." Lotor ordered.

Klara hesitantly obeyed, sweat dripping down her neck as a million possible punishments ran through her head. When the clank of metal greeted her ears, however, her blood ran cold as one scenario outshined all the others.

_"He wouldn't, would he?"_

Klara nervously shuffled her feet.

"Don't move." Lotor crowed from behind her.

Klara's heartbeat roared in her ears and she clamped her eyes shut as she braced herself for the pain come. However, nothing happened.

"There."

Eyes flying open, Klara immediately glanced over her shoulder and down at her wings to see some kind of mechanical clamp pinning down. Normally she would have been irritated by having such a device since it meant she couldn't fly but all Klara could feel was relief.

"You seem rather chipper. Did I not make the clamp tight enough?" Lotor cooed, earning a glare from her in response that dared him to just try to touch her wings again and see what happened. Dismissing her hostile gaze, he rose to his feet and turned to Zetherid, Narti, and Ezor, who had silently watched the entire scene go down. "Go prep the ship. I believe it is time for us to leave."

Zetherid and Ezor blinked in surprise but bowed respectfully before leaving with Narti in tow. Meanwhile, Eliazar was practically fuming at this point.

"That's it?! That's all you are going to do to her?! That servant of yours attacked me! She should be laying in a pool of her own blood at my feet right now!" he exclaimed, waving his arms wildly about like a child having a tantrum. However, one look into Lotor's eyes made him go still.

"Confining her to the ground will more than suffice as punishment. You're lucky I even punished her at all though given that you have committed a far worse deed than she has." the prince purred, his voice laced with poison.

Beliazar blinked rapidly and took a step back, both clear signs of panic. "W-What are you talking about?"

"You really think I wouldn't notice, Commander? I had heard you were rather dull-witted for a Galra but I'm surprised by how truly sloppy you are."

"I don't understand."

"You don't? Well then, let me explain to you. Upon my arrival to the base, I immediately noticed my team's comlinks go offline as soon as we landed in the hanger. As we were escorted to this room to meet with you and discuss your progress with the Lepidoptan people, I noted that all of your men seemed to be watching us, including your sentries that cannot divert from their programmed task unless the base is under attack. The last clue was the wine. One taste was all I needed to conclude that the wine was highly potent and could easily make one drunk, leaving him easy to overcome, and your robotic attendant constantly refilling my glass so it looked full only confirmed my suspicions. You mean to either kill or capture me so that another "more suitable" Galra can take over the empire until Zarkon awakens."

Silence hung in the air as Beliazar stared at Lotor for a moment, shock written all over his face; however, his expression soon darkened and he dawned malicious grin stretched from ear or ear.

"Not bad, Half-breed. However, it doesn't matter if you've figured it out. You and your generals will not be leaving this place." he hissed.

"Is that so? I assume my generals are currently fighting their way through a sea of soldiers to get to the hanger?"

Beliazar's eyes shone with a dark light. "You've made a disgrace of the Galra Empire. Once your father awakens and resumes power, he will surely thank me for my loyalty and service-"

The smell of singed flesh tainted the air as Beliazar collapsed, a large hole in the side of his head.

"Sir, we need to get out of here." Axca stated as she charged her gun for another blast.

"I am aware, Axca. However, we must be strategic about this." Lotor cooed. After thinking for a moment, he turned to Klara, who scowled at him.

"What?" she snapped defensively.

"I was hoping you might have an idea of how we might get out of here given your success at breaking in and out of many of our other outposts." Lotor croaked with a sly smile.

Klara's eyes narrowed. "And why would I do that?"

"Well, if I die then someone else would take control of the empire, someone who could easily schedule all of your friends for execution or exterminate your people without a second thought." Lotor sneered.

"And why would they do that?"

"Because you humiliated us, and as I'm sure you've realized by now, I am far more forgiving and merciful than the rest of my people."

For a moment, Klara grew very quiet as her eyes glazed over and stared at nothing while thought over what the prince had said. When the glassiness disappeared and she met Lotor's gaze once more, he could already tell what she had decided.

"We can use the vents to get to the hanger. I doubt Beliazar thought to have men hiding in there." she said, pointing at one of the said vents as she spoke.

"Well done, my dear. Keep this up and I might even reconsider punishing you later for this little show you put on here." Lotor cooed. Klara merely scoffed in reply.

Using their combined strength, Lotor and Axca managed to pry off the vent cover and cast it aside. Lotor took the lead as they army-crawled in a single file line through the narrow passage, their breathing shallow and soft as to not alert the soldiers standing in waiting in the hall outside. After what felt like hours, they reached the end of the vent and Lotor pushed the cover away before sticking his head out.

"It seems we have a bit of a problem." he thought aloud as he watched the vent cover freefall through the air before shattering into a billion pieces when it hit the forest floor at least two hundred feet below. Moving slowly, the prince climbed out of the vent and carefully lowered himself down onto the narrow ledge lining the wall. Klara and Axca followed suit, their hearts pounding loudly in their ears as they stared at the massive drop before them.

"If we continue going to the left, we should reach the hanger entrance just as Ezor, Narti, and Zetherid are finished getting the ship ready for launch." Lotor stated as he tore his eyes away from the ground and looked at Axca and Klara. "Move slowly and do not look down."

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Axca began to slowly inch her way along the narrow ledge, her back pressed flat against the wall as she kept her eyes glue in the direction she was going. Lotor and Klara followed close behind her, Klara's lip trembling and a bead of sweat trickling down Lotor's view. Thankful, the distance between them and the hanger wasn't as great as they had originally thought and soon the platform of the hanger's entrance came into view. However, none of them even had the chance to sigh in relief as the scream of blasters echoed in their ears. Eyes snapping upwards, the group saw several robots that resembled eight armed beasts scurrying down the wall at alarming speeds, lasers spewing from their mouths.

"Axca, go!" Lotor exclaimed. However, before he could take another step, one of the laser blasts struck the cement beneath his feet, causing it to crumble away beneath him. Everything seemed to go numb as Lotor felt himself begin to fall, his eyes unusually wide and full of fear as he stared helplessly up at Klara and Axca.

"LOTOR!!!" Axca shrieked, reaching out to grab him but missing by an inch.

"Go to the ship. Tell them to take off and meet us in the air." Klara suddenly blurted.

"What?" Axca said, but before she could say anything more, she stared in shock at the now vacant spot next to her on the wall. Klara had jumped.

Had she thought this through? No. Was this a really stupid idea? Yes. Was she going to die? Probably. However, all these thoughts retreated to the back of Klara's mind as she nosedived through the air, her eyes fixed on Lotor. As she drew closer to him, she reached out her hand and made a wild grab for his arm, but he was still just beyond her reach.

_"Come on! Come on! Come on!"_

Meanwhile, Lotor had closed his eyes not to long after he had first started to fall, deciding it was better to remain oblivious to death for his last moments of life. As the wind whipped through his hair, he watched his life play back to him behind his closed eyelids like he had always heard it would when he was about to die, but it seemed to be moving surprisingly slow to him. He relived his childhood, his banishment, his return to the empire, and his short time in power. He remembered all the time he had spent with his generals, bonding with them and training them to overcome the obstacles of being half-breeds. Yet, what brought a smile to his lips were the memories of Klara's irritated expressions whenever he had done something to cause her trouble or annoy her. These memories played slower than all the rest since they were the most recent and therefore the most vivid, but Lotor enjoyed every second of it. However, he could not ignore the slight aching he felt in his heart. He still had so much left he wished to accomplish and he knew that his generals would grieve his death. Death also meant he could no longer toy with Klara and silently relish in her glare as she pampered him, and if he died, that meant he could no longer prove to the universe, the Galra, and his father that they were wrong about him. No, he wasn't ready; he didn't want to die.

"Lotor!"

Lotor's eyes flew open in surprise and stared upwards with a look of pure shock to see Klara sailing straight towards him, her arm outstretched.

"Why are you just staring at me? Grab on!" Klara shrieked.

Overcoming his temporary paralysis, Lotor hastily clasped hold of Klara's hand and allowed her to pull him to her. Instinctively, the two wrapped their arms around one another as they continued fall, and Lotor found himself staring up at Klara in disbelief once again.

"Well, what are you waiting for, an invitation? Get these things off of my wings before we go splat" Klara barked.

Expression hardening, Lotor quickly obeyed and reached behind her back, undoing the lock on the clamp and pulling it off with ease. Wasting no time, Klara spread her wing and gave a mighty flap the sent the two shooting upwards, the ground growing farther and farther away beneath them. As Klara carried them up into the sky, Lotor released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and tightened in grip on Klara, his nails digging into her flesh.

"Hey, knock it off! Your claws hurt!" Klara snapped. Hearing the roar of an engine, she looked up to see Lotor's cruiser hovering not too far ahead, the door wide open. A few more strong flaps sent her soaring inside where she landed rather gracelessly due to Lotor's extra weight, falling flat on her stomach while Lotor landed on his back beside her.

"LOTOR!" Ezor cried, tears streaming down her face as she threw her arms around the prince. After shutting the bay door, Narti, Axca, and Zetherid gathered around the prince as well, their faces full of concern.

"Sir, are you alright?" Axca asked, her voice quivering slightly as she spoke.

"We thought we had lost you." Zetherid whimpered.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking." Klara grumbled sarcastically from where she lay sprawled out on the ground like a starfish.

Frowning, Lotor slowly sat up and turned to Klara, his eyes full of suspicion. "You saved me. Why?"

That was a great question. In fact, Klara had been asking herself the same thing ever since they had landed. Why had she saved him?

"It...It's like you said earlier. Without you holding them back, the Galra would likely kill both my crew and my people. I was just looking out for them." she answered, though her voice was somewhat doubtful. That had to be the reason she did it, right? Nothing else made sense. Yes, it had to be.

"I see..." Rising to his feet, Lotor brushed himself off and hurried sat down in his seat. "Axca, set the quickest course for home. A new matter has come up that I must address."

"Yes, Prince Lotor." Axca answered, slightly surprised by his ability to casually return to normal after what had just happened but compliant nonetheless.

As his generals retreated to their stations, Lotor found his eyes drawn to Klara as she sat in the corner, leaning against the wall for support as she caught her breath. Images of her faces hovering mere inches above his own and the feeling of her arms wrapped tightly around him now plagued his mind and body incessantly, refusing to go away as he pondered over all that had just happened. Why had she truly gone after him? And why was his heart still racing despite the fact that he wasn't in danger anymore?


	12. Chapter 12

"Sir, I'm sure it's nothing-"

"I don't care. Check again."

Sighing, Axca returned the thermometer to Lotor's mouth and crossed her arms while she waited for the little machine to do its job. Although she tried to hide it behind her usual emotionless mask, the faintest traces of worry crept onto her face through the cracks as she stared at her brave leader sitting huddled in his bed, dark bags lining his bloodshot eyes and a blanket thrown over his hunched shoulders. Suddenly, the thermometer gave a beep and she carefully plucked the device from the prince's mouth before lifting it up to the light.

"It still says your temperature is normal." She read aloud.

Lotor scowled doubtfully before leaning back against the mountain of pillows behind him. "Then it's broken. There is something wrong with me; I know it."

"Perhaps we should seek the aid of the druids and Haggar-" Axca began to suggest but Lotor hastily cut her off.

"No. I do not want that witch anywhere near me. Send for Klara. This is likely some disease I contracted eating the food of her homeworld. She might know what to do." He protested, hugging the blanket tighter around himself as his heart rate picked up again.

Now it was Axca's turn to be skeptical. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea, sir. She very well could be the one who got you sick."

"Then why would she throw herself off of a building to save me if she already knew I was going to die from a disease?"

He had a point, but that didn't make Axca any keener about the idea. "Sir, I'm sure you're just experiencing some post-traumatic stress due to your near death experience on Tizopal-"

"I have nearly died on dozens of occasions, Axca, and I have never once felt like this afterward. Now call for Klara before I get somebody else to do it for me." Lotor snapped before easing himself back onto the mattress and closing his eyes.

Pursing her lips, Axca slowly reached for her ear and pressed on the comlink to open the channel.

"Lotor is requesting Klara's presence. Send her up at once."

"But I thought you said earlier-"

"Now, Zetherid."

"Alright, alright! Sending her up."

Awkward silence hung in the air, making Axca squirm ever so slightly as she watched Lotor closely. Biting the inside of her cheek, she debated whether or not she should say something to him but her tongue felt like a lead plate in her mouth. Unfortunately, just as she was about to turn away, Lotor opened his eyes and glanced at her, his azure irises boring into her soul.

"What is it?" he grunted.

Axca swallowed thickly to remove the lump in her throat and squared her shoulders to mask her nervousness with confidence. "Sir...No one would judge you for being anxious after what happened...Trauma after such an event is common-"

"I already told you that this isn't trauma so stop bringing that up." Lotor snapped, a slight hint of irritation in his voice.

Axca flinched and bowed her head apologetically. "My apologies, Prince Lotor. Please forgive me."

"Do not do it again. Now please leave."

"What?"

"I desire to be alone for the time being."

"But-"

Lotor shot Axca a glare that made her protest catch in her throat, permitting her to swallow them before she made a mistake.

"Yes, Prince Lotor." She mumbled hollowly before stooping into a bow and, after another hesitant pause, quietly slipping from the prince's bed chamber.

As soon as he heard the door click shut, a sigh left escaped Lotor's lips as he allowed his mask to drop, exposing his weariness to the light. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he rolled into an upright position and sat with his legs dangling off of the side of the bed, glassy eyes fixed on the floor as his mind wandered aimlessly.

 _"I was a bit harsh on her, but trauma? Is there anything more pathetic than a Galra suffering from trauma? No, this has to be some kind of sickness or food poisoning, nothing more."_ He told himself as he dragged his fingers through his hair in an attempt to calm his racing heartbeat. However, just as it began to slow back to a normal pace, the sound of the door opening caused it to spike again.

"You don't look very sick to me." Klara griped as she stood in the doorframe, arms folded across her chest.

"Well I am whether I look it or not, and I believe the food of your home world is to blame." Lotor retorted sharply, eyes narrowing in her direction.

"Of course it is." The Lepidoptan grumbled sarcastically, rolling her eyes before sauntering over to him and expectantly hold out her hand. "Let's get this over with. Give me your wrist."

Lotor's suspiciously arched one of his brows but nonetheless obeyed the woman's orders, but he immediately went tense when the woman pressed her slender fingers against his pulse, sending a shudder up his arm throughout the rest of his body.

"What are you doing?" He snapped.

"I'm checking your heart rate, _your majesty_. If you're somehow still suffering from the effects of the funeral wine, your heartbeat should be sluggish." Klara answered. However, after feeling the steady rhythm of the prince's pulse against her fingertips, her lips curved into a puzzled frown. "You're pulse isn't slow. In fact, I'd say it's a bit elevated."

"I could've told you that." Lotor grumbled sourly and yanked his arm from the woman's grasp. The tingling sensation in his wrist lingered for a moment longer before vanishing, and to Lotor's surprise, part of him seemed to be almost saddened by its disappearance. However, he quickly brushed aside that sense of disappointment in instead scowled at Klara. "If you are going to waste my time, I'll have all of the doctors from your village rounded up and kept here until one of them heals me."

Klara bit back a growl and took a deep breath to calm her temper. "There'll be no need for that. I'm just trying to think of what you could've contracted....Have you considered the idea of it being trauma related-"

"I am not traumatized!" Lotor shouted, catching Klara offguard and making her instinctively spring back. Awkward silence lingered for a moment before he continued. "It's something else..."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Klara mumbled before gently pressing the palm of her hand against Lotor's forehead. "You're a little warm but not hot enough to have a fever-"

Klara's voice broke off when she noticed Lotor's cheeks suddenly flush.

"What? What is it?!" the prince barked when he noticed her staring at him.

Klara's lips curved into a wicked smile. "Oh, I see what's going on now. How could I have not seen it before? It's so obvious."

Lotor's eyes narrowed angrily. "Stop stalling and tell me! What illness plagues my body?"

"Oh, it's no illness, Prince Lotor. It's something much worse." Klara crowed smugly.

"If you continue to play games with me, I cannot guarantee I will not hurt you." Lotor threatened as he rose to his feet so that he menacingly towered over the Lepidoptan. "Now tell me what is going on? If it is not an illness which makes me feel this way then what is it."

"It's so cute that you still don't know. You, Prince Lotor, are suffering from embarrassment."

Lotor's brows scrunched together into a look of confusion and doubt. "That is ridiculous."

"Is it? Do all Galra take well to having their arses saved by their prisoners? Do you enjoy being at the mercy of another or getting called out in front of those you are supposed to lead?" Klara purred tauntingly, her eyes twinkling as she placed her hands on her hips and leaned in close to Lotor's face. "And if it wasn't bad enough already that I had to save you, the whole incident went down in front of one of your generals too. Yes, you have suffered such a wound to your pride that it is making you physically sick."

Lotor wanted to deny Klara's claims but his tongue felt like lead in his mouth. Clenching his jaw, he took a few steps away from her and stood in thoughtful silence. Could there be truth to her words? Was that truly what ailed him? Her diagnosis just didn't seem quite serious enough to truly be the cause of his symptoms.

"Say you're right and I am embarrassed. My generals would not hold it against me and would not let word of what happened spread, and it is highly unlikely that anyone would believe you if you talked. Therefore, I need not feel anxious for my image and position shall remain intact." he remarked calmly.

"That's true, but _you_ would still know what happened and that you more or less owe me for saving your life." Klara chirped, obviously enjoying herself at this point as she basked in his discomfort.

Lotor was quiet for a moment, glancing at her from over his shoulder. "I assume you already know of a way to cure me of this as well."

"I can't necessarily cure you of it per say, but I think I know a way that I can weak the effects."

"And I assume it is going to cost me something, yes?"

"Wow, not all Galra are complete idiots after all!" Klara gasped sarcastically, feigning surprise.

Lotor rolled his eyes. "Well, out with it already! What do I need to do?"

"It's simple really. You owe me for saving your life, so to balance things out, you must now do something for me." Klara cooed smugly.

Lotor's lips curled back in disgust. "Absolutely not."

"So you're okay with feeling like this for a really long time then?"

Lotor grit his teeth when he realized he had yet again been cornered by this woman. "I'm not giving your or your men your freedom so don't bother to ask."

"I figured as much. Fortunately, I have another favor in mind that shouldn't be too painstaking for you." Klara crowed. "As you may recall, Coban, the member of my crew that you had slaughtered in the arena, wore a special medal that was awarded to the heroes of his homeworld-"

"Heroes. Is that what you think of yourselves?" Lotor chuckled dryly.

Klara pursed her lips to stop herself from saying something snarky and continued nonetheless. "I would for his medal to be retrieved from whatever garbage heap you tossed it into and sent to Torc."

Lotor's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "No. Ask for something else."

"That is all I desire aside from my freedom."

"Then you shall receive nothing."

"Fine by me. I've got nothing to lose here."

Lotor's hands curled into tight fists as he clenched his jaw. "Your mind games won't work on me; I'm no fool. That medal could very well hold some kind of secret distress code which you want to get to your people in hopes of receiving help. You will pick something else or you will get nothing at all."

"Again, it doesn't matter to me. Also, for the record, not everything I do involves me plotting to escape. Unlike you, some of my motives aren't malicious and self-centered."

"Is that so? Do enlighten me then. What is the motivation behind this particular request."

"A promise."

"To Coban?"

"To my crew."

"What kind of promise?" Lotor purred.

Klara folded her arms defiantly across her chest. "One that's none of your business. Do we have a deal or not because I'm not just going to sit here and waste time I would much rather be spending as far away from you as possible."

For the first time in several vargas, the corners of Lotor's lips turned upward ever so slightly. "Very well, I'll let you keep your little promise. However, if this does not fix me or I discover some underlying escape plot is in fact tied to this, you can expect there to be consequences."

"Seriously, do the threats ever end with you people? Just tell me where the medal is."

"You will not be going anywhere near the medal. I will have one of my generals handle this little request of yours. You are to return to your cell until you are called again."

Klara's face contorted into a scowl but she decided it was in her best interest not to push her luck any further. "Yes, Prince Lotor."

As he watched her leave, Lotor felt the warmth in his face slither down his neck and into his chest before evaporating, leaving room for the previous restlessness he had been feeling to creep back in. Frowning, he ran his fingers through his slightly disheveled hair in an attempt to tame it then swiftly exited his sleeping chambers.

 _"Healing doesn't happen instantaneously; I must give myself a little time before I make any assessments. However, I cannot put off my duties while I wait for that to happen ."_ he silently coached himself just before entering the bridge of the ship. Hearing the doors slide open, Zetherid, Axca, and Ezor all turned, looking slightly surprised at the sight of him.

"Zetherid, what is the status of the crew we have been collecting to work on our project?" Lotor asked calmly as he eased himself down into his seat and crossed his legs.

A faint glimmer of relief flickered in Zetherid's eyes as she turned back to the monitor. "We still have to recruit about two dozen more workers before the project can begin."

"Add the Lepidoptan's crew to the roster. I would like to keep a closer eye on them." Lotor replied.

"Yes sir."

"Ezor, come here for a moment."

Axca's brow crinkled suspiciously as she watched Ezor scamper over to Lotor and bend down while he leaned in unusually close to her ear. Watching them closely, she observed the way Ezor's face changed throughout the conversation, shifting between looks of surprise, doubt, and understanding before she finally stood up and ran off. After their comrade left, Axca found her eyes drawn to Lotor, who appeared to be deep in thought. However, he was not deep enough not to sense her gaze upon him and his eyes soon glanced upwards in her direction, looking her in his gaze. Swallowing the thick lump in her throat, Axca spun around and hastily resumed what she had been doing previous to the prince's arrival, but her mind was far from her work. Lotor obviously hadn't wanted her to overhear what he had been telling Ezor. Did he not trust her? Had she done something to make him doubt in her? What was he not sharing?

\-----------------------------------------

As the cell door slid shut behind her, Klara eased down onto the floor with a sigh and pressed her back against the cool cell wall, dragging her fingers along the smooth surface before drumming her fingertips against it.

_Reiya, are you there?_

Silence lingered for several moments, making Klara's heart rate quicken. However, after about five dobashes, a reply finally came.

_This is Widget. They switched my and Reiya's cells. Is that you, Captain?_

_Yes, it's me. Are you alright?_

_I've got some scars from that witch but that's about it. What about you? Where have you been?_

_The prince called for me. He claimed my people's food was making him sick and that I needed to help him get better._

_Did you figure out what was wrong with him?_

_Not exactly._

_Klara, what did you do?_

_I took a guess and told him he was suffering from embarrassment._

_You're kidding._

_No, I'm not. I claimed that he was feeling embarrassed because I saved his life and that the only way for him to feel better was for him to do something for me in return._

_Are you insane?! Do you know how risky of a bargain that is?!_

_It doesn't matter. By the time he figures it out, my request will be fulfilled and there will be nothing he can do._

Silence lingered for a moment.

_I assume our freedom wasn't an option, so what exactly did you ask for?_

_I requested that Coban's medal to be sent to Torc._

_Torc? You really think he's going to know what to do with it?_

_I briefed him on our protocols on multiple occasions. He'll get it too them._

_I'm surprised that that purple priss actually agreed to your terms._

_Yes, it was unusual. However, he seemed a little off today and his generals weren't around, so I figured I would try my luck._

_That's....odd. You truly have no idea what's wrong with him?_

_Whatever he is suffering, my people and planet have nothing to do with it._

_What were his symptoms?_

_Slightly warm temperature, mood swings, racing heartbeat, restlessness, and flushed cheeks. Why? You think you know what's wrong with him?_

_I might have a theory but it's a long shot at best. Just forget about it._

_You sure?_

_Yes, it was a stupid theory anyways. What if Lotor finds out about them though, or the others for that matter?_

Klara pursed her lips.

_He won't. Only one of our own will be able to crack the code. They won't find out._

_I hope you're right. If not, we could be looking at a massacre on our hands._

_They won't find out. They can't. Have you found out anything new on your end?_

_Yeah, Venicess and Oli found where they've got our ships stashed._

_Where?!_

_Both ships are being kept in a hangar near the northern end of the ship. They spotted them while they were there to collect parts from some of the ships that were beyond repair. According to them, the main ship seemingly has been raided and wouldn't get us far if we even managed to get it operational again but your ship hasn't been touched. However, there's a problem._

_What type of problem?_

_The hangar is locked and can only be accessed via a palmprint scan. Also, the hangar doors can only be unlocked from another room that is also locked via an eye scanner._

_So we would have a take a hostage._

_Which would slow us down tremendously. It doesn't help that most of the Galra see one another as expendable and would continue to attack us regardless of whether we have a hostage or not._

_So in other words, we would need a special hostage, one that would force the Galra to stand down._

_Yes._

_.........I might have an idea._

_If we're thinking of the same thing, it's a bad idea!_

_It's our best option though._

_It's suicide! Besides, none of us would be able to get close enough to him, especially not alone._

_I did and I can do it again. I just have to gain his trust._

_......If he catches on, he might actually decide to kill you._

_That's a risk I have to take._

_Are you sure about this, Captain?_

_You focus on smoothing out the rest of the kinks in the plan. Leave the hostage to me._


	13. Chapter 13

"You think word hasn't spread about your crew's capture and your engagement?! You think me a fool?! You've led my son to his doom at the hands of the Galra, you traitorous wench! If I don't kill you here and now, may the gods rain fire upon you and those you love! Let them have it!"

"Sir, this door isn't going to hold for long! What should we do?!" Axca exclaimed as she leaned against the dented sheet of metal that was currently serving as the only barrier between herself, Lotor, and Klara and their opponents waiting outside, the screaming of gunfire ringing in her ears.

Pursing his lips, Lotor raised his hand to the comlink nestled in his ear and activated it, waiting a few ticks to ensure the channel was open before speaking. "Zetherid, Ezor, can you hear me? Can you get the ship through to us?"

"Negative, sir. The surrounding buildings are too close together for us to slip through. I knew we couldn't trust her! I say you throw the little wench to the Unilu and then escape while they're distracted!" Zetherid roared.

"I can hear you, you know! I didn't plan this!" Klara shouted over the top of the shrieking of blasters, flinching when the little shack gave another violent shake.

"Sir, we need a plan! Sir-Ack!" Axca began to say but her voice broke off when one of the laser blasts managed to rip through the door and pierced her left leg.

"Axca!" Lotor shouted his general fell to her knees, her hand tightly gripping her bleeding thigh as she clenched her teeth to keep from crying out in pain.

Scanning the room, Klara noticed a set of cupboards in the corner, the broken lock hanging loosely from one of the handles. Rolling onto her hands and knees, she hastily crawled towards them and threw the doors open before proceeding to rummage through their contents and pull out random several objects and vials. Lotor's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Saving our butts. Come on, there's got to be some stashed in here-Bingo!" Klara exclaimed as she pulled one last bottle from the depths of the cupboard's maw. Gathering up her collection of trinkets and bobbles, Klara set them down on a worn wooden bench and hastily set to work combining different liquids and screwing different pieces together. "The Unilu member of my crew showed me how to make a smoke bomb on the fly. We can use this to give us some cover while we escape."

Axca grunted as the shack shook again. "We don't have enough time!"

"Then I need you to buy me some!" Klara retorted.

"How do we know you won't run away while we're fighting off the Unilu?!"

"You're going to have to trust me!"

"Absolutely not! We trusted you once and look where it got us!"

Ignoring Axca, Klara turned to Lotor and shot him a pleading gaze. "Please. I just need a couple dobashes at most. There's enough supplies in those cupboards for a few makeshift weapons and shields. We need to work together if we want to get out of here."

Pursing his lips, Lotor glanced back and forth between Axca and Klara.

"Sir, don't listen to her! She's probably lying again!"

"Lotor, please! I need you to trust me!"

Suddenly, there was a mighty crackling noise and Axca jumped out of the way as the door to the hut came crashing down.

\------------------------------------

_A few vargas earlier...._

"You're doing this to me again? Paranoid, much?" Klara grumbled as she was herded onto Lotor's cruiser by Axca.

"Grumble all you want but I'm not changing my mind. After all, I might need you to jump off of another building for me." Lotor cooed smugly from his seat, a smirk dancing on his lips.

Klara barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "If you are going to force me to come along with you on every one of your missions, the least you could do is get me a seat so I don't have to stand the entire flight."

A mischievous twinkle shone in Lotor's azure irises. "I suppose you make a fair point. Narti, retrieve a tarp from the lower deck."

Narti hastily obeyed and scrambled off down a hallway. After several dobashes, she returned with a rumpled piece of cloth in her arms, which she proceeded to dump on the floor next to Lotor's throne.

Klara raised an eyebrow. "You're joking..."

"You should be grateful. He had no obligation to give you a seat at all." Axca cut in sharply as she brushed past the Lepidoptan and settled herself down into her own seat by the dashboard.

Glaring daggers at the back of the woman's head, Klara quietly made her way over to the blanket and, after shooting the prince one more disdainful glance, plopped down on top of it, resting her chin in the palm of her hand as she slouched in a rather unladylike manner.

"You have very poor posture for a princess." Lotor remarked smugly.

"Shut up."

Suddenly, Zetherid came thundering up onto the deck, a troubled expression adorning her face.

"Sir, I just received word from one of our sellers. He recently sold the item of interest to another buyer." she stated.

Lotor's lips immediately curved into a deep frown. "That is....unfortunate. This will put us drastically off schedule if we do not find another supplier quickly. I don't suppose our seller recommended a colleague of his that has an identical part?"

"No sir."

A groan escaped Ezor's lips as she rested her head in her hands. "Great. It was hard enough to find one seller. How are we going to find another one?"

In that moment, realization struck Klara sharply on the head. This was her chance, her in; this is where she could start building trust between her and Lotor.

"What kind of part do you need exactly?" She inquired curiously.

Silence swept over the ship as all eyes turned towards Klara, who stared back at them expectantly.

"Sir, should she really be present while we're discussing this?" Zetherid inquired, her eyes narrowing hostilely at the Lepidoptan.

"Well, it's not like we can stash her anywhere. She'll run off." Ezor argued.

"Then what do we do with her?"

"I believe I have a solution." Lotor clucked as he fiddled with his helmet, which had been sitting undisturbed in his lap up until this point. After tapping away at a few buttons on the side, he motioned for Klara to come closer, and when she was within reach, he rather roughly shoved the helmet onto her head and snapped the visor shut.

"Hey! What the heck?!" Klara exclaimed, but to her surprise, her voice sounded warbled and distant to her ears, making it nearly impossible to even distinguish what she had said. Nostrils flaring, she tried to push the helmet off of her head but it refused to budge, making her temper boil.

_"Why that little!...No, don't get distracted. Stay alert and in control."_

After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Klara shifted her gaze back to Lotor and the generals, who had resumed talking without hesitation. As part of befriending Reiya, the Lepidoptan had become decent in the art of lip reading so she watched the group with acute interest, her eyes quickly flitting from person to person so she didn't miss a single word. Eventually, she noticed that the words "ship" and "project" were being repeated multiple times, singling it out as the topic of discussion, and judging by the concern on the faces of those present, they were obviously in a bit of trouble. This was perfect.

"So you're in need of rare ship parts? I may know somebody who could have what you're looking for."

Klara couldn't help but smile at the way Lotor and his generals tensed, their eyes darting towards her with a mixed look of surprise and irritation.

"How did she-" Zetherid began but Lotor cut her off.

"She read your lips, likely a skill she learned thanks to her mute friend." He mused before sauntering over to the Lepidoptan and plucking the helmet off of her head, resting it on his hip as he looked over her. "Why are you trying to be so suspiciously helpful all of a sudden?"

"Because I don't want to be stuck on a ship with you for vargas on end looking for something that obviously took you awhile to locate the first time." Klara lied, although it was honestly more of a half lie. "Part of being a marauder is building up a clientele of interesting characters that could be of use later on. One of the groups I've frequently interacted with are a clan of Unilu that live in the capital of the minor planet, Rogast, and they are infamous for selling rare, exclusive items. I'm almost positive they'll have what you're looking for."

"That is quite the deal. Now what's the catch?" Lotor purred.

"Well, this group of Unilu are rather hostile towards Galra so you'll have to disguise yourselves in order to buy from them. They also have a very strict policy about buyers being unarmed-"

"No way! That's not an option!" Zetherid shrieked before pointing an accusing finger at Klara. "Sir, this reeks of a trap. I say we look for the generator someplace else!"

"I agree such action would be safer but it would also put us off schedule by several quintents at the very least. It seems we will have to take this risk." Lotor thought aloud, his eyes never wavering from Klara for so much as a tick.

The pirate's eyes twinkled with delight. "Great. Now, I would suggest we take my ship instead of yours; it will help sell our ruse."

"I was thinking the same thing. However, we will have to take care of one minor detail first." Lotor crowed before kneeling down and tearing a piece off of the tarp upon which Klara sat, much to her confusion. However, all became clear to her when he wrapped it around her head like a blindfold, blanketing her eyes in blackness.

"Really? Is this absolutely necessary?" she grumbled in annoyance.

"Quite actually. Zetherid, carry her."

"Sir?"

"She may be blinded but that doesn't mean she can't map out our route to the other hangar using muscle memory or something else. Carry her and feel free to toss her around a bit so she can't get her bearings."

Despite the cloth obscuring her view, Klara could practically picture the massive grin on the hulkish general's face merely from the change in her voice.

"Of course, sir."

Klara swallowed a gasp as she was suddenly jerked off of the ground and thrown over Zetherid's shoulder, her stomach protesting as it slammed against her armor in a rather painful way. As she felt them start to move, however, she couldn't suppress the exclamation of pain that escaped her mouth when something metal, likely a doorframe, smacked against the back of her head.

"Heh, sorry." Zetherid muttered, not sounding one bit sorry whatsoever.

Biting her lip, Klara took another deep breath to ease her temper once again and instead resigned herself to listening to the sound of the group's footsteps. If only she had taken those echolocation lessons from her flight instructor more seriously all those years ago; such a skill would've been of great use to her at the moment.

After what felt like a miniature eternity, Klara was suddenly dropped onto the ground, her jaw clenching when she landed on her wings. A few moments later, her blindfold was ripped off and she sat there blinking for a moment as her eyes readjusted to the light. Once everything came back into focus, a wave of comfort suddenly washed over the Lepidoptan as her eyes slid over the familiar sight of her ship's main deck, and she almost dared to crack a smile as she stood up and ran her hand lovingly over the dashboard, relishing in the fact that it was still smooth to the touch.

"I don't think so. I'll be flying this baby for now, thanks." Ezor chirped as she pushed Klara aside. However, after staring down at the controls for a moment, her confident smile wavered slightly as a bead of sweat dripped down her brow. "Um, how do you start it exactly?"

Rolling her eyes, Klara hit a couple of buttons in a select order then stepped back as the ship's engine roared to life, a sound she had greatly missed hearing. While Ezor attempted to figure out the rest of the controls, the pirate turned to Lotor and Axca, a wicked grin making its way across her face.

"Given that you two will be the easiest to camouflage, you will be the ones to meet with the Unilu. I will come with you to help you earn their trust and arrange a fair trade for the item you desire-"

"Assuming they even have it." Axca interrupted, her typical scowl seemingly somewhat darker than usual.

"There is both male and female clothing located on the lower deck in a large maroon chest with a golden crest on it. I'll retrieve the other costume pieces we'll need to transform you." Klara stated as she sashayed over to one of the doors on her left and opened it. "Narti, will you please come help me? I'm going to need an extra set of hands for this."

If Narti were able to make expressions, her face would have been a mask of complete and utter surprise as she trailed after the Lepidoptan, her claws already extended in case of foul play. As she disappeared from his line of sight, Lotor gave a thoughtful hum that prompted Axca to shoot him a look.

"You're not seriously buying into this, are you?" she frowned.

"Of course not. However, I'm willing to play dumb for a little while if it means we're able to stay on schedule." Lotor replied with a smug smile.

"She mentioned that we would have to go in unarmed earlier."

"So we will. I am confident enough in our close combat skills not to be overly concerned by such a thing."

"Sir, is this truly a good idea?"

"Probably not but the good ideas aren't ever any fun, now are they? Besides, I already have a backup plan in mind just in case."

\------------------------------------------------

"I hate Rogast. Everything is so tight and compact. I feel like I can't breathe!"

"You're not even outside, Zetherid!"

"I still feel boxed in."

"Would you two shut up?! We need to keep the line open in case we get into trouble!" Axca snapped angrily into the comlink, and silence quickly fell over the line. Blinking rapidly to soothe the burning in her eyes due to the colored contacts she was wearing, she swatted the bangs of her wig aside only for the hair to fall back in front of her eyes again.

"How much longer until we meet up with your Unilu contacts?" she muttered, shooting a glance at Klara, who stood at the front of the group.

"We just have to make a few more turns and then we'll be at their shop. Remember, let me do the talking." Klara answered before rounding a sharp corner.

Nose scrunching up the way it always did when she was upset or concerned, Axca quickened her steps so she was walking alongside Lotor and leaned close to his ear to avoid Klara overhearing their conversation. "She shouldn't be taking the lead. This is too risky."

"Be at ease, Axca. I have my backup plan already on standby." Lotor cooed as he trailed behind Klara, his eyes particularly fixated on the markings that curled up the back her neck and shoulders as he resisted the urge to run his fingers over the patterns that now decorated his skin. As he thought about the feeling of Klara's paintbrush against his skin and how her brows had cutely pinched together in concentration as she carefully traced and retraced every detail until it was to her liking, he felt a slight flutter in his stomach that made him stiffen.

"Klara."

The Lepidoptan glanced back at his with a raised brow. "Yes?"

"The treatment we discussed for my....condition. How long will it take for me to heal exactly?" Lotor inquired, his voice tainted with something Axca couldn't quite place. Fortunately for the prince, Klara picked up on it right away.

"Well, that all depends on your medicine. Have you been taking it?" she replied in an almost scolding way.

".....I suppose I must have missed a dose by accident." the prince eventually answered as his gaze shifted away. Casting a glance at Axca, he nearly started to chuckle when he noticed the utterly perplexed look she was giving him.

"She actually found something wrong with you?" she stated.

"Yes and she gave me some medicine from her home village to treat it. Do not worry, I had Ezor test it to make sure it was safe before I consumed any of it." Lotor clucked with a reassuring smile.

"If you two are done now, we're here."

Lotor and Axca immediately looked up to see a quite small clearing with a rather shabby looking shack seated just off center to the left, a faint yellowish glow on the inside. Axca's lips curled back in disdain.

"This is it?"

"Actually, this is an outpost."

"Where's the actual shop then?!"

"It's not far but we won't be able to get in without the gatekeeper. Come on." Klara hummed before making her way over to the shack and walking through the door. After sharing a glance, Lotor and Axca quickly slunk in after her.

The inside of the shack was about as nice as the outside, with its metal front door coated with rust and a musty smell permeating the air. However, Klara seemed unfazed by its state as she made her way over to an elderly looking Unilu who was seated in the rocking chair with his head down and his eyes closed.

"Excuse me, sir. We are looking for something quite rare." she whispered to the old man as she crouched down to his level, a coy smile on her lips.

Slowly, the Unilu opened his eyes and looked up at her, his voice raspy and dry as he spoke, "And where do you suppose you will find such an item?"

"Only the heir would have what I seek. He said the gate would be left open."

The old man scanned Klara from head to toe then shot a glance at Lotor and Axca, who did their best to not look suspicious, before standing up and reaching for a cane that rested against his chair.

"The right gate is always open to those that find it. Come with me." He grunted before hobbling past the three and out into the open. Not wanting to lose the old man, the trio scrambled after him, weaving through many intricate alleys that made them feel like rats trapped in a maze. Fortunately, the old man eventually stopped in front of a circular door of obviously thick metal. Raising his cane, the elderly Unilu tapped in against the door in a specific way and in the blink of an eye, Klara, Lotor, and Axca were all lit into a dimly lit room.

"So you've returned, Princess." A voice cooed from somewhere amongst the shadows. "And you've brought friends."

"These are two new members of my crew. I brought them with me out of precaution. You can never be too careful these days." Klara answered calmly as her eyes scoured the room.

"They look like Lepidoptans but where are their wings?"

"These two are twins who were born with a rare genetic mutation that prevented them from developing wings. I would ask that you don't inquire about it further because it is a rather sensitive topic for them. Now, are you going to come out the shadows or not, Carlem? I'm here to make a trade after all."

In the far left corner of the room, the shadows suddenly shifted and an Unilu who looked to be older but not very old appeared in the faint lighting, an unsettling grin on his face.

"Of course, my dear. What are you looking for?"

\--------------------------------------------

_Present...._

Shrieks rose from the crowd on Unilu surrounding the shack as Klara's smoke bomb detonated at their feet, blanketing everything in dense fog. Holding his breath so he wouldn't cough and give away their position, Lotor draped Axca over his back and darted after Klara, carefully picking his way over the bodies that lay strewn in the dirt to avoid tripping. Fortunately, the Lepidoptan somehow kept her bearings despite the smoke screen and guided the group down the alleyway from which they had originally come, their elevated heartbeats and quick footsteps creating a quick tempoed soundtrack from them as they ran. Before long, the screaming of blasters joined in as the Unilu chased after them, shouting and cursing as they missed over and over again.

"Don't let them get away!" Carlem shrieked.

As they continued to run, a sudden gust of wind nearly sent Lotor's wig flying off and he looked up to see Klara's ship hovering over their heads, Zetherid, Narti, and Ezor all crowding around the entrance hatch.

"Hurry!" Ezor shouted.

Locking eyes, a silent conversation took place between Klara and Lotor before the prince suddenly stopped and threw his arms around her neck before she took off, grunting from the strain as she carried all three of them into the air. A sigh of relief escaped Lotor's lips as the Unilu grew smaller and smaller as the distance between them increased, but he quickly regretted his actions when Klara suddenly gave a loud shriek and started to fall. Fortunately, they were within arm's length of the ship at that point, enabling Zetherid to grab them and drag them onboard, the door closing behind them.

"Gah, it stings." Klara whimpered as she pressed her hand just beneath the base of her left wing, the smell of blood in the air.

"Narti, find a medical kit and bring it here. Zetherid, get us out of here." Lotor ordered as he sat up and dusted himself off.

"You don't need to tell me twice." Zetherid answered before engaging the ship's thrusters, the ship trembling slightly as it shot forward like a missile and left the crowded capital of Rogast in the dust.

As his heart slowed back to a normal pace, Lotor found his gaze drawn to Klara, who still lay curled up on the ground, her breathing deep and slow as she tried to block out the pain she was feeling. Before he knew it, he had crawled over to her and moved her hand aside so he could inspect the wound she had received, his fingers prodding the area with the gentlest of touches.

"It appears that the blast just grazed you. You can stop being so dramatic." he said.

"Easy for you to say. You got out of there without a single mark." Klara grumbled bitterly. "We didn't even get the part so it's not like this was even worth it."

"I would care to disagree. You see, I had Ezor on standby in case something went down, so while we were being chased, she snuck into the Carlem's base of operations and stole what we needed along with a few extra pieces."

Klara's face remained completely blank as her mind struggled to process what she was just told, but when everything clicked, she gave an angry scream and sharply shoved him away from her before scrambling to her feet.

"Where are you going? Your wound needs to be dressed." Lotor called nonchalantly to her as she stormed towards the deck's main door.

"I'll dress it myself!"

"Klara, come back here immediately!" Axca protested as she tried to sit up but Lotor held out his hand to stop her.

"It's alright. Leave her be. She can't go anywhere." Lotor smirked before turning to his head general. "Now, let's get you patched up."

Meanwhile, Klara blindly navigated her way through the ship till she came to the room that had served as her sleeping chambers during long missions. Heading over to a cabinet in the corner, she retrieved the spare medical kit she had stashed there a long time ago and set it on the bed. As she prepped the bandage and ointment, she gave a frustrated huff and shook her head in an effort to clear it.

_"This all better be worth it."_


	14. Chapter 14

"Sir, we're running low on fuel. We'll need to stop somewhere before we can make it back to Central Command." Zethrid called over her shoulders while she hovered over the control panel, her eyes glued unwaveringly on the screen before her.

"Triangulate our position and then contact the nearest base. Let them know we are in a borrowed aircraft so they don't shoot us down as soon as we enter the stratosphere." Lotor ordered as he longed in his seat, honestly looking rather bored as he rested his cheek in his hand. Hearing the whoosh of one of the deck's doors as it slid open, he immediately looked up to see Klara quietly entered the room, her right hand still tucked beneath her left wing as she tenderly massaged the spot where she had been shot.

"Done pouting, are we?" he crowed tauntingly as she made her way over to her spot on the floor and sat down, purposely avoiding eye contact with him. "If you ever want to get that temper of yours under control, I know a great anger management course you could attend; it did wonders for Zethrid."

"Sir, you said you wouldn't tell anyone about that!"

Klara shot the prince an icy glare but said nothing, choosing instead to shift her attention to her hands as they rested in her lap. Brow wrinkling curiously, Lotor was about to call her name to get her attention when he was cut off by Ezor.

"Sir, we've located the nearest base but they aren't responding to our transmission." She said, obviously puzzled.

Frowning, Lotor rose from his seat and made his way over to his general's side. "Send it again."

"Attention Galra Base Theta 868, this is General Ezor requesting permission to dock, over."

The crackle of static echoed ominously throughout the cabin.

"Maybe their communications are down." Zethrid remarked but doubt tinted her voice.

Axca's brows scrunched together and her lips pressed into a thin line as she stared down at the monitor displaying the fuel levels. "Sir, perhaps we should wait and dock someplace else."

"That's not possible!"

Zethrid and Ezor nearly jumped five feet clear into the air before turning around to glare at Klara, who had quietly snuck up behind the four generals and stood peering over their shoulders at the console.

"Don't do that! You just about gave me a heart attack!" Ezor squawked as she waved her arms about.

Rolling her eyes, Klara pushed past the two and slid next to Axca, her eyes fixed on the screen. "I know my ship. If we try to go much further with this amount of fuel, we'll wind up stranded. We have to dock."

Silence swept over the cabin as all eyes fell on Lotor, who sat with his lips pressed thoughtfully against his fist and his brows wrinkled in deep concentration as he mulled over the situation.

"Set a course for the base but go slowly." He eventually concluded, rising to his feet. "Axca, have the ship's weapons systems on standby just in case."

"Yes sir."

The air in the room grew suffocatingly dense as Ezor eased the ship into a gentle descent. No one dared to say a single word, as if the utterance of a signal sound would somehow attract their dumb. A bead of sweat trickled down Axca's temple and slithered down her neck as her hand hovered mere centimeters above the the control panel for the ship's guns, her fingers trembling in anticipation, and Narti anxiously shuffled her feet. And they waited. And waited. And waited.

Then it came. Alarms screamed as the ship took its first blow on the right, sending powerfully tremors throughout the vessel so that the entire thing shook.

"Axca, return fire! Ezor, evasive maneuvers! Zethrid, keep an eye on the damage to the ship! Narti, see if you can boost the ship's radio signal." Lotor barked as he leaped to his feet and ran to the dashboard. "Galra Base Theta 868, this is Prince Lotor. You are ordered to stand down and cease fire upon this vessel! I repeat, you are ordered to stand down and cease fire upon the vessel at once!"

A thunderous boom rang through the air as the ship gave another violent shake before steeply banking to the left.

"Sir, they've clipped one of our wings!" Zethrid exclaimed.

"We're getting torn apart! We need to find somewhere else to land!" Klara shouted overtop of the screaming of alarms.

"Oh, that's really rich coming from you! You're the only who insisted that we still try and dock her in the first place! Great suggestion!" Zethrid spat back.

Clenching her teeth, Klara sharply checked Ezor in side, knocking her away from the ship's controls so she could grab them instead. "Move!"

"Hey! Prince Lotor!"

"Leave her be, Ezor! Send out a distress beacon to any nearby ships! Klara, get us out of here!" Lotor shouted.

"That's what I'm trying to do!" Klara snapped in reply before guiding the ship through a wide, 180 degree turn and soaring towards a nearby collection of cliffs overlooking a massive canyon. Grunting as the ship took another hit, Klara tried to slip behind one of the clips for cover but just before she could, the loud purr of the engine and the screeching of the alarm system ceased, signaling that the last of the ship's fuel had been used up.

"Everybody hold onto something!" the Lepidoptan cried as the ship started to plummet into the canyon, where the darkness swallowed it whole.

\----------------------

She wanted to scream. She wanted to scream so badly as she stared at the dented, metal husk of what had been her ship several minutes before. Klara was in such a state of shock that she didn't even flinch when the intergalactic vessel slid further down into the canyon, its few windows that had remained in tact during the crash shattering as it collided with a boulder.

"We have to dock here, she said. We'll wind up stranded if we go any farther, she said."

Klara shot Zethrid an icy glare as the hulkish general sat on a nearby ledge, arms folded across her chest. "Is that all you have to say?"

Zethrid raised an eyebrow at the Lepidoptan. ""What were you expecting? An apology? I didn't even do anything wrong."

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe something along the lines of this-" Klara griped before sassily popping one hip to the side, her arms folded in a similar manner to the buffest general's own, and crowing in a deep, dramaticized tone, "Thank you so much for saving our lives Klara! Sorry about your ship!"

"I think you hit your head on the way down. Also, I don't sound like that." Zethrid scoffed with a smirk.

Swallowing the string of impolite names she desperately wanted to call the snarky general, Klara took a deep breath and turned to Lotor, who stood staring upwards towards the canyon's opening. "Any bright ideas as to how we're supposed to get out of here because I'm all out."

No reply. As all eyes shifted to the Emperor Pro Tem, Axca immediately noticed that his frown seemed deeper than usual.

"Sir, what is it?" She called to him.

Slowly, Lotor's gaze dropped from the sky and landed on them, an air of seriousness about him. "Whoever shot at was not Galra. That base has been overtaken by another force."

The generals and Klara all blinked in surprise.

"How do you know?" Ezor inquired.

"Our shooter's fighting patterns lacked discipline and tact, characteristics that define the combat style of a soldier."

"Do you think it's the rebels? Or maybe it's Voltron?" Zethrid said.

"No, it was not them. This fighting style had a certain....savagery to it, a certain lawlessness."

Klara quickly caught on to what the prince was implying. "You're thinking it's pirates?"

"That is my theory. Nevertheless, we won't know for sure until we get to the base."

Klara blinked at him, her jaw slightly agape as her mind monetarily stalled. "Um, could you repeat what you said because I think I misheard you. It sounded like you were actually going to make us go back."

"You heard correctly then." Lotor chirped. "We must regain control of the base or the results could be catastrophic, and you're going to help us."

"Uh, what?"

"You've already broken into several Galra bases with little to no problems-"

"I always had at least a few days to plan first, and I had partners who would give me schematics and other materials in exchange for some of the loot! I've never gone in blind like this!"

"You didn't have schematics for Beliazar's base and you got us out of there."

"Breaking out and breaking in are two different things entirely. Also, last I checked, you nearly died when we did that!"

"Come now, Klara; where is your marauder sense of adventure?"

"....That is an extremely naive and biased thing to say. Not all pirates are careless savages who shoot first and ask questions later. Many of us are actually quite cautious and think things through before acting so we don't lose our entire crew in one fell swoop!"

"And yet here you are." Axca stated rather coldly as she shot the Lepidoptan a disapproving glare, who returned the gesture pointedly. Making a mental note to address the pirate's behavior at a later time when Lotor was not present, she dismissed her curtly and instead focused on the prince. "What do you want us to do, sir?"

"You will not be doing anything, Axca. I want you to stay back with the ship until someone comes to fetch you." Lotor said coolly.

Offended was the best word to describe the expression that crossed Axca's face as his words rang in her ears. "Sir, I can still fight-"

"I do not wish to be argued with, Axca. Even if you can fight, you won't be able to move very quickly. You will stay here with the ship and direct whichever fleet answers the distress beacon to meet us at the base." Lotor retorted as he unsheathed his sword. "Ezor, there is a mining shaft towards the top of this canyon. I have no doubt that it will lead back to the base, so run ahead of us and then report back about what you find."

"You got it!" Ezor chirped before turning invisible and darting off, her footsteps in the dirt serving as the only evidence of her presence.

"Lotor, I want you to think about this long and hard for a moment. We have nothing: no floor plans, no access codes, not even a way to contact backup. This is extremely risky and this time I don't have some ace up my sleeve to get us out. Don't do this, not at least until a fleet arrives." Klara pleaded, her wings fluttering anxiously as she spoke.

Lotor raised an eyebrow as he stared into her huge, bright blue eyes, almost as if he was surprised by her sudden change in demeanor,"If I didn't know any better, I would say you were afraid."

"I'm not afraid; I'm merely concerned."

"About me? I'm flattered."

"You are making it so hard not to sock you in the jaw right now. I'm being serious here! There is so much that could go wrong! I don't want this backfiring like...."

Lotor raised an eyebrow. "Like what, Klara?"

"...Nevermind. Let's just get this over with."

\---------------------------------------

"Okay, did we have to use the vents. I get it worked for you last time but its so cramped in here!"

"Shh! You'll give our position away!" Klara hissed at Zethrid before crawling another few feet forward and turning to the left.

Zethrid rolled her eyes before nudging Lotor to get his attention. "Sir, we have been in here for at least three vargas. How much longer till I actually get to hit someone?"

"Klara is just trying to get a feeling for the base, Zethrid. This is the last quadrant that we must scope out. Once we have done that, you'll be bashing heads in no time." Lotor reassured her with a purr before following after Klara. However, he was not expecting to collide with the Lepidoptan, who had suddenly stopped cold in her tracks, but he quickly understood when two voices echoed off of the ventilation system's metal walls and greeted his ears. Unfortunately, Zethrid was not so perceptive.

"Why did you stop?! Move! I want to get out of here!" she barked in annoyance.

"Could you just shut up already?!" Klara snapped back.

"Both of you, be quiet. Klara, head towards those voices. Let us see who exactly we are dealing with." Lotor hissed.

Biting back the urge to kick Lotor and tell him to butt out, Klara dragged herself through the narrow tunnel as directed, listening carefully to the two voices. Oddly enough, they almost sounded familiar to her.

Before long, the group came to an opening in the ventilation shaft and Klara peered through the grate into what appeared to be a control room. Below her sat a man covered in scarlet skin and blackish violet hair and a Kythran woman, both of them clad in similar get up, and judging by their body language and the tone of their voices, they were arguing about something.

"You were flirting with him! Don't tell me you weren't!"

"What's it to you, Kolaq? We broke up a week ago. Besides, he was cute."

"You can't do things like that in front of me, Pitham! You might as well just dump a vat of fire salt in my eyes!"

"You're so possessive and emotional. This is why I dumped you."

Klara's jaw fell open as she stared in shock at the duo below her, but she hastily brushed off her initial surprise as Kolaq, the red alien, began talking again.

"It's been at least two varga since the search team went out looking for the wench's craft. Shouldn't they be back by now?" he grumbled.

"They have to search the entire canyon for it, idiot. Something like that could take days." Pitham scoffed as she stared down at her nails in the stereotypical feminine fashion. "Still, I'm curious who they'll find since Miss Princess is still supposed to be in Galra custody. It doesn't matter though really; it won't change what the boss does to them."

"What does the boss have against the Lepidoptan anyways? No one has ever told me."

"Well given the fact that I like my face the way it looks right now I won't be telling you either. He doesn't like to talk about it so that should be enough of an indicator to you that it was bad. Now shut up in case somebody comes in; I don't want to get into trouble-"

A sudden sneeze caused Pitham's voice to break off. Lotor, Klara, Ezor, and Narti all turned to look at Zethrid, who had her hand covering her mouth.

"Heheh, oops?"

Gritting her teeth, Klara hastily flipped positions in the tunnel so that her feet were out in front of her and kicked the grate open before leaping down into the room. Pitham and Kolaq were already out of their seats when she landed, Kolaq's hand hovering mere inches above the alarm button. Thinking quickly, Klara grabbed Pitham's wrist when she tried to punch her and swung the woman around so that she crashed into Kolaq, knocking him away from the control panel. Shoving his comrade off of him, Kolaq charged at Klara but she hastily ducked under his left arm. Using his slightly bent leg as a foothold, she stepped up and then jumped up onto his shoulders, wrapping her arms around his head to keep her in place. Making sure her legs were firmly locked around her opponent's neck but not so tightly that she couldn't slide around a bit, she threw herself forward while also swinging around to Kolaq's front, causing the man to lose his balance and fall over. As soon as they hit the ground, Klara flipped Kolaq onto his back and hastily rammed her fist against the side of his head, knocking him out instantly. Hearing movement behind her, she looked up to see Pitham looming over her with a knife in hand, but before she could even raise the blade, Lotor dropped from the ceiling and landed on top of her, knocking her to the floor where she laid in a groaning puddle of pain and feathers.

"You were just waiting for the perfect moment for a dramatic entrance, weren't you?" Klara grumbled as she forced Kolaq into a sitting position before examining the room for something to tie his hands with.

"A 'thank you' would have sufficed. Here, use this." Lotor said and tossed her one of the several scarves that Pitham had around her neck. After tying Pitham's hands and placing a gag in her mouth as well, he gracefully eased himself down onto the chair that the pirate had previously occupied and began flitting between the footage of the many building's security cameras while also casting the occasional glance at Klara.

"What?" Klara asked defensively when she finally noticed what he was doing.

"You seem on edge. You know these pirates, yes?" Lotor crowed as he focused his attention on the screen once more. "Judging by your nervous pacing and the way the Kythran woman is glaring at you with such intensity that you would be dead if looks could kill, I assume it is not a good relationship."

"That's an understatement. Let's just say the sooner we get them behind bars, the better it will be for all of us." Klara grunted as she grabbed Pitham's discarded blade and slipped it into her belt. However, the weapon was quickly snatched from her by Narti, who gave it to Ezor.

"Sorry, no weapons for you. Just a precaution." the latter chirped cheekily as she stashed the blade in some unseen place and crossed over to Lotor. "So, what have we got?"

"The base's inhabitants are being kept on the third and fourth floors; I'll upload the building's blueprints to your communicator in a moment. There seems to be at least one or two pirates guarding each entrance of the building as well as at least a dozen in the central hangar. It would seem our opponent has a large crew." Lotor mused.

"One of the largest in the universe actually. The captain often abducts smaller crews and forces them to join him with the threat of execution being the alternative option." Klara grumbled as she leaned against the wall, all the while glaring at Pitham. "He once stole at least half of my crew out from under me, the bastard, and he made me look stupid in front of those who remained."

"Is that why the two of you don't get along?"

"Trust me, that little incident was just scratching the surface." the Lepidoptan muttered, her eyes fixed on the door as if she expected the enemy to come charging in at any moment.

"Well, perhaps we can use your long standing rivalry in our favor."

Klara's eyes narrowed warily at the prince. "How about we don't. We don't even know if he himself is actually here."

"Is that him?" Lotor asked before pointing at the screen.

Klara felt her heart drop as she gazed at the pixelated picture of the familiar tall, stocky alien with different colored eyes, unruly red hair that fell to his broad shoulders, fangs, and a long, furry tail. "Crap..."

"I'll take that as a yes." Lotor mused. "Zethrid, take Narti and head upstairs to free the captives."

"What about you, sir?" Zethrid frowned.

"Ezor, Klara, and I have another mission. Hurry and don't let anyone hear you."

Groaning, Zethrid hopped back up into the vents, followed by Narti. Once the grumbling of the larger Galra had faded to no more than a distant whisper, Klara turned her attention to Lotor just as he was removing the torn, ragged cloak draped around Kolaq's shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"Disguising myself. We have to use the element of surprise to our advantage. Take Pitham's cloak and mask. Ezor-"

"Already way ahead of you." Ezor chirped before disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

"What is the plan exactly? We can't take on Quenten's entire crew by ourselves." Klara frowned as she draped Pitham's cloak over her shoulders.

"I agree, which is why we aren't going to. Our target is Quenten. As the head of the group, the rest of the pirates will fall into disarray without him to guide them, thus enabling Zethrid and the newly freed prisoners to overpower them in the state of confusion."

"I hope you realize this is pretty much suicide on my part should we get caught."

"You won't get caught and if you do, I'll get you out." Lotor purred before he could stop himself. Klara mirrored the look of surprise that crossed his face as he processed his own words. Where had that come from?

"And why would you do that exactly?" Klara asked warily.

"Well...with you gone, I would have to look for a new attendant to take your place, which means that for a while I would have to start doing things for myself again. We can't have that now, can we?" Lotor eventually explained, doing his best to not only convince Klara but also himself. The logic made sense, didn't it? Yes, it did, so that was his reason for now.

"Wow, I feel so special." Klara grumbled once she had slipped on Pitham's mask and pulled up the hood of the cloak. Reaching into a bag on said person's belt, she removed a little vial and dumped some of its contents onto her hand before rubbing them on her neck. "Quenten has a particularly strong sense of smell so put this on to disguise your scent."

"How would he know my scent if I've never met him?"

"Would you just put it on? I don't want to take any chances!"

Rolling his eyes, Lotor applied some of the ointment to his neck as well before holding the vial out for Ezor. "Won't smelling this raise his suspicions of intruders?"

"No. Unlike myself, Quenten steals from his own people as well. He has this distributed to newcomers once they become members of his crew for when they have such raids." Klara stated as she shifted nervously from side to side, something which did not escape Lotor's eye.

"You're afraid."

"Well duh! Haven't you been listening to me?"

"I could ask you the same question. I won't allow Quenten to get his hands on one of my assets. I've trusted you and now I need you to trust me."

Klara was at a loss.

_"Can I really trust him? After everything he has done to me? Who's to say he won't abandon me to save his own skin should things go south. Still, in order to get him to trust me, I must make him think I trust him as well. Plus, putting that lustful, cocky wretch in a cell would be a nice bonus."_

"...Fine. You had better not be lying to me."


	15. Chapter 15

"If it really upset you that much then you should just have just said something instead of pouting and giving me the silent treatment for the next several vargas!"

"I didn't say anything anything because I didn't want want to look weak in front of you!"

Pitham blinked slowly as she stared at Kolaq with a look of surprise. "What do you mean?"

The red-skinned alien bashfully looked away, his cheeks darkening from embarrassment. "I know you're just playing around when you flirt with the newbies, but that particular newcomer, Alcayt, he looked like he believed you were actually interested and that got me wondering if I was reading the situation wrong. I worried that maybe you were actually serious in your flirting with him and to make matters worse I couldn't blame you. I mean, I'm not funny and I'm pretty sensitive for a guy; heck, all I've got going for me is my suave accent and good looks. I just....didn't want to lose you to a fresh recruit of all people."

Awkward silence blanketed in the room as Kolaq's words sank in before Pitham eventually eventually broke it by guffawing so loudly that she made her comrade jump.

"You don't have to laugh at me." he grumbled bitterly, his lower lip sticking out in a pout.

"Aw, chill out, would you? I just can't believe you seriously thought I had my eyes on a snot-nosed recruit." Pitham snorted, tears running down her cheeks as a grin split her face in two.

Kolaq's brow crinkled in confusion. "He didn't have any snot..."

"It's an expression, Kolaq; it means I see him as a kid rather than a comrade. New recruits are always lazy and cocky until they get their arses handed to them the first time, and then they get all whiny till someone shuts them up, the wussies. Believe me, you've got nothing to worry about; the only interest I have in those new recruits is giving them my own special welcome by breaking all of their little hearts." Pitham purred with a smirk.

Kolaq felt his heart skip several beats as a stupid smile spread across his face. "Oh you're cruel..."

"Thank you. I try." Pitham chirped smugly, slyly glancing away before looking back only to have her gaze become locked with Kolaq's. For a moment, the two just stared at one another, a silent message passing between them, and eventually Pitham's cheeks flushed so that they matched her ex's.

After a dobash or so, Kolaq finally broke the silence. "Look, can we-"

"Yes." Pitham cut him off, the slight strain of her voice mirroring the longing in her eyes.

All three of his hearts swelling in his chest, Kolaq suddenly threw himself forward onto his stomach and began to wriggle across the floor in a manner similar to the crawl of an inch worm, causing Pitham to giggle so hard she started snorting as she watched him contort his body into multiple odd positions in an attempt to get closer to her.

"What are you doing?" she managed to eventually stammer between her fits.

"This." Kolaq answered as soon as he came into reach before roughly depositing his lips on Pitham's own. The Kythra woman gave a quiet purr as she leaned into the kiss, her eyes fluttering shut as everything around her faded into obscurity.

"You're breath tastes like fried wilzert." Kolaq muttered between pecks.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No. I love fried wilzert."

The romantic moment between the two lasted a few heated dobashes, the air ringing with giggles and purrs as Kolaq and Pitham cuddled as close to one another as they could, completely unaware of the voices on the other side of the door. Suddenly, the door to the office slid open, and the two sharply broke apart as a shriek assaulted their eardrums, making them flinch in pain.

"What in the name of Angoc the Great are you two doing?! And why are you both tied up?!"

Her eyes narrowing into slits of burning annoyance, Pitham swung her head around to give whoever had dared interrupt her special moment a piece of her mind only for her words to become lodged in her throat when she beheld standing in the open doorway a dwarfish alien with three arms, one on each side and one on his back, and yellow eyes, one of which looked bigger than the other thanks to the monocle he wore. Suddenly, their reality of their situation came rushing back to her and her eyes widened to the point that they were almost perfect circles.

"Twitch! It's about time somebody found us! We've been here for at least a varga!" she exclaimed, a hint of annoyance still tainting her voice.

"Yet instead of calling for help you decided to waste your time locking lips." Twitch scowled harshly, his gaze cold and unforgiving as he stared so intently at the two one would've believed he was looking into their souls. "Now, could please stop paining me further with your stupidity and answer my question?! At least fifteen thousand of my brain cells have died since this conversation has started."

"Hey, if we keep it up, maybe we can lower your intelligence level down to normal! Then you'll be less irritating and snooty!" Pitham chirped smugly.

Twitch's face began to grow bright pink as an angry torrent began to bubble up in his throat, but before he could unleash his wave of verbal abuse, a tall woman with dark violet skin and short black hair pushed past him and entered the room, her ominous aura permeating the air as she glided over to the two lovebirds. At the sight of the newcomer, Pitham immediately grew sickly pale and shrank back into Kolaq's chest, not daring to lift her eyes for fear of becoming trapped in the woman's gaze.

"L-Lady Zypher..." she eventually managed to stammer out in her trembling voice, her moxie having fled from the woman's shadow.

"This is not a game, Pitham. You will surely be punished already for negligence of your duties as a member of this crew, so do yourself a favor and tell me what happened so I won't be forced to inflict further disciplinary measures upon you for wasting the time of two Irisauri members." Zypher hissed flatly, the unusual calmness of her voice only adding to her foreboding demeanor as she loomed over Pitham and Kolaq.

Pitham squirmed uncomfortably but no matter what she did, she could not bring her tongue to move; fortunately, before Twitch and Zypher could become angrier, Kolaq spoke, though his voice was little above a mousy whisper.

"I-It was the Lepidoptan, Lady Zypher. She and Prince Lotor ambushed us using the vents."

Zypher's golden eyes narrowed at his words. "Just the two of them?"

"N-No ma'am. The prince had three of his generals with him."

"Only three? He has four! Where was the fourth one?!" Twitched exclaimed but one glare from Zypher immediately shut him up.

"I-I don't know! I didn't see her."

"Do you know where they went?" Zypher continued to interrogate him.

"I-I only know that two of the generals were sent to the lower levels to free the prisoners. Aside from that, all I can tell you is that the remaining general turned herself invisible while the prince and late captain took our cloaks and masks to disguise themselves."

"And my scarves! Don't forget my precious scarves!" Pitham lamented woefully, having finally found her voice again.

"You two bumbling idiots! They could be anywhere by now!" Twitch scolded them, waving his three arms wildly as he spoke. However, before he could continue further his ranting, Zypher cut him off.

"You are being of no more use than them by complaining. Get them out of their bonds and then use the trackers in their masks to see if you can locate the intruders. I'll contact the rest of the Irisauri as well as the captain." she ordered sternly. "Once you have located them, come to the main control room; from there, we shall decide our course of action."

"They'll be no need for that."

All heads snapped in the direction of the new voice, their gaze landing on Quenten's hulking form as he leaned casually in the doorway, a smirk on his lips and a devilish glint in his eye.

"What do you mean, sir?" Zypher frowned. "We need to strategize. The Lepidoptan will recognize our tactics if we attempt to corner her without some level of tact-"

"Oh, we won't be going after her, my dear Zypherialah. She's going to come to us." Quenten cooed smoothly.

"How are you going to make her do that?"

Quenten's grin widened to an unsettling size. "The same way you catch a zulverd lizard in its hole."

Twitch's eyes widened as realization struck him. "But sir, won't that kill some of our own men in the process?"

"If they die then they were not worthy of being among us. Zypher, send Sekh and Blipp to ambush Lotor's two generals and then have the rest of the Irisauri converge on the roof by the main hanger's doors."

"How do you know that they'll be in the main hanger?"

"They are most likely following the flow of traffic to help themselves blend in, and most of our men are currently taking our loot to the ships. Knowing Klara, she has likely already obtained a cart to help her and the prince camouflage better."

"He's right! According to their trackers, they are heading towards the main hanger as we speak." Twitch reported, having pulled up the tracker's location on the screen of his armband.

"Twitch, I want you in the control room by the time I've made it to the roof. Once you are there, you are to lock the hangar doors and await further instruction."

"Yes sir!" Twitch crowed dutifully before hastily scurrying out of the room and disappearing down the hall.

Seeing no further reason to stay, Quenten promptly turned on his heels and began to leave with Zypher in tow only to stop when Pitham gave a loud cry.

"Where are you going?! What about us, captain?!" she shouted, a hint of panic in her tone as she stared up at Quenten with wide eyes.

Quenten didn't even bother to bestow a glance upon his minion as he replied in a smug tone, "I think I'm just going to leave you two here for a little while. I'm sure someone else will find you eventually."

Pitham's jaw dropped as she watched Quenten strut proudly out of the room. Glancing at Zypher, she shot the woman a pleading look, but Quenten's right hand paid her no mind and slipped out as well, the door sliding shut behind her.

"Well, at least we have each other, right?" Kolaq said whilst forcing a straining smile and resting his head on his girlfriend's shoulder.

Pitham rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Just shut up, Kolaq!"

\-----------------------------------------------

"Hey Pitham! Pitham! Wait up!"

Klara's blood ran cold as she came to an abrupt halt, the contents of her cart clinking and clattering as they shifted about. Lotor stopped as well, his hand already hovering over the knife he had snitched from another pirate as he locked eyes with the Lepidoptan. Swallowing the massive lump in her throat, Klara gently fingered the headpiece she had made from Pitham's scarves to make sure it was still intact before slowly spinning around to see a pirate she did not recognize running towards her, a goofy grin on his face as he brushed his bangs out of his face.

"What is it?" She asked flatly, doing in her best to imitate the particular timbre of Pitham's voice as she pressed her wings flatter against her back just to ensure that they weren't seen.

The pirate's expression wavered slightly, his head tilting slightly to the side as he peered at her for a moment, but before long, his goofy grin returned.

"I thought you and Kolaq were supposed to be working security!" he chirped, his voice unusually lighthearted and bubbly for a pirate, even a new recruit.

"We were told to trade positions with someone else..."

The boy's brows scrunched slightly when he detected the slight change in Klara's tone. "You already forgot about me, didn't you? It's me, Alcayt! I was amongst the new recruits that were inducted last week! Let me guess, the uniform is what threw you off, isn't it?"

"Yes...Yes, that's what it was! You look much better; your old clothes weren't doing you any favors." Klara cooed smugly as she attempted to recover the situation, unaware of the strained smile that instinctively stretched across her face beneath the mask.

"Yeah, I know, right? I'm a little embarrassed that you saw me like that actually, but what's done is done I guess." Alcayt shrugged, a light pink tint filling his pale cheeks. Glancing at the cart behind her, his eyes lit up and he immediately grabbed hold of the handle, his fingers brushing against Klara's as he did so. "This looks pretty heavy; want me to help you?"

Lotor's eyes immediately narrowed. He had been quietly watching the chipper being interact with Klara the entire time, and the closer he got to the Lepidoptan, the more uneasy the prince became.

"She is more than capable of pushing it herself. Don't you have some other task that you should be taking care of? The captain will not be pleased to find you dawdling." he snarled before grabbing Klara's wrist and attempting to usher her away. However, to his surprise and annoyance, Klara promptly ripped free from his grasp and ducked under his arm before turning her attention back to Alcayt.

"I can speak for myself, Kolaq, and I would love some help since you've given me none whatsoever." she quipped sharply as she rested her hands on her hips.

Alcayt shot Lotor a sour look before sighing and shaking his head. "I swear, some people have no common courtesy."

"You're telling me."

By now, Lotor was beginning to get upset. Clearing his throat to get the attention of the other two, he beckoned Klara aside with a jerk of his head. "Pitham, may I speak with you a moment?"

Noticing the wariness in Alcayt's expression, Klara gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I guess I could spare you the time. Al - I can call you that, can't I? - we'll meet you in the main hangar, okay?"

Al didn't move, his gaze fixed on Lotor.

"You heard her. Run along, child." the prince sneered.

Scowl deepening, Alcayt begrudgingly grabbed the handle of the cart once again and began pushing it down the hall towards the large double doors at the end. As soon as they closed behind him, Klara stormed over to Lotor, hand already raised to smack him, but Lotor quickly grabbed her arm before she could do any harm.

"What do you think you're doing? I told you to let me do the talking!" she snapped as she pulled loose, glaring at him so intensely that he could feel the sting of her gaze through his mask.

"I could ask you the same question. Do you truly not realize that you're endangering our entire mission by letting this pirate assist us? One wrong move and we'll be completely exposed." he fired back with the same amount of fire, leaning considerably close to Klara's face as he hissed at her.

"I'm staying in character. Pitham is lazy and a flirt so she wouldn't pass up an opportunity to let some poor, lovestruck sap do her work for her; Kolaq, _however_ , would remain silent, even if he didn't agree with Pitham's choice. You didn't even try to disguise your voice and you sound nothing like him!"

"Well your attempt at vocal manipulation isn't exactly on point either, my dear."

"Um, sir?"

Klara's heart did a triple backflip in her chest as she frowned in the direction she thought Ezor was standing. "Don't do that or at least give me some notice next time!"

"Um, okay? Sir, I'm not trying to question your judgement, but won't the two of you just standing around arguing look a little suspicious." Ezor continued, paying little mind to Klara's grumblings.

"It's not that odd a site, honestly. Most pirates get into squabbles with each other at least five times a quintent." Klara remarked.

"Nonetheless, we should get moving; however, I expect you to tell your new friend that we will no longer need his help, understand?" Lotor crowed sternly.

A scoff escaped Klara's lips as she rolled her eyes. "Fine, but if he becomes suspicious and we're found out, I'm blaming you."

Content enough with her response, the prince promptly turned on his heels and made his way to the door, which slid open once he came within a certain distance of it. Immediately, he was greeted by Alcayt's scowling face as he stood in the doorway. Brushing past the boy, he grabbed the cart from him.

"We'll take this from here." he stated smugly before sharply pulling the cart away from Alcayt's grasp.

Alcayt's expression darkened, but before he could say anything, Klara grabbed hold of his hand, thus diverting his attention.

"Sorry about him. Maybe you can help me another time." she purred sweetly.

Alcayt's anger melted away as a sad glimmer welled in his eyes, but he forced a sweet smile for her nonetheless. "Alright, but let's plan on it being just the two of us, okay?"

"Of course."

Smiling, Alcayt suddenly leaned forward, and before Klara could process what was happening, he had placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"My transition here wasn't easy but you've been a great help. I'll see you later, Pitham." he whispered softly before turning away and scurrying out.

Klara couldn't move for a moment as a small pool of guilt began to bubble and boil in her stomach, but she didn't have long to contemplate what she had just done before Lotor grabbed her shoulder, thus shaking her from her daze.

"Well that was unexpected. Perhaps your ruse was more believable than I thought." he stated.

"....Just help me get this onto the ship." Klara grumbled whilst pushing his hand away. However, before she could even make a full turn, the screaming of an alarm pierced the air, making her wince as everyone in the hanger covered their ears.

"Then again, maybe not." Lotor mumbled to himself.

After several long wails, the alarm was sharply cut off by the painfully loud roar of static and then everything fell deathly silent until a hollow mechanical voice rang cut through the air.

"Commencing emergency protocol Beta 85. All exits sealing. Opening valves."


	16. Chapter 16

She could see it. She could see it resting high above her head, black dots of bodies dotting its otherwise pristine, bluish canvas as it rippled slightly with their movements. Gritting her teeth, she swallowed the scream bubbling in her throat and wildly thrashed her arms and legs, which felt both heavy and weightless at the same time as the icy water slithered and curled around them, desperately hoping that her struggling would somehow propel her upwards, but she only continued to sink closer and closer to the floor of the flooded hanger, everything around her growing darker the further she sank and the more deprived of air her lungs became. By now, icy fear was creeping through her veins and into her head, creating a hazy fog through which it was hard to think, or maybe that was just Death gently caressing her as it waited for her resistance to give out. She knew she didn't have much longer before her body would refuse to obey her; she had to do something and it had to be fast.

Tearing her eyes away from the water's surface, Klara frantically surveyed the ground below her in search of something, anything, that could serve as her salvation. Much of the loose debris in the hanger had already floated away, leaving the floor quite barren of anything she could use, but after some searching, her gaze fell upon a cluster of crates that had been tied down with several thick cables and her heart leaped inside her chest. Drawing her body into a tight ball to hasten the speed at which she was sinking, Klara soon reached the bottom of the base's new pool, which she pushed off of to propel herself towards her pyramid of hope. As soon as one of the cables was within reach, she latched onto it and began clawing at it with her nails and tearing at it with her teeth, her desperation swelling with each passing moment, but to her horror, barely a dent appeared in the rope despite her efforts. Tears welling in her eyes and blurring her vision, Klara continued to scratch and scrape at the bonds, ignoring the stinging sensation in her fingertips and the faint trails of blood drifting through the water as her heartbeat screamed in her ears and her lungs cried out in agony.

_"I...I can't.....I have to....I can't...."_

Slowly, the strength in her hands began to fade, followed by the strength in her arms, her legs, her wings, till all she could do was stare blankly at the water above as the slight current rocked her about, its ominous chill steadily crept up her limbs towards her chest and head.

_"This...This is it, isn't it? I...I'm going to die here...I...I can't...."_

Hot, salty tears mixed with the cool, crisp water around her as Klara fought to keep her eyes open and her mouth clamped shut, but she could already feel her eyelids steadily drifting downwards and her lips trembling from a mix of fright and strain.

 _"Please...I don't want to die....I can't die yet...."_ was the last thought to cross her mind before her eyes finally fluttered shut and her remaining strength evaporated.

Then it happened. Klara was barely aware Pitham's mask being ripped off her face nor did she sense the hands that tenderly cradled her cheeks due to the numbness plaguing her body as it began to shut down, but she definitely felt it when something pressed against her lips and filled her lungs with the air they had been sorely craving. Instinctively, Klara dug her fingers into her savior's back as deep as she could as faint vapors of her strength returned, fearing that if he slipped from her grasp that he would disappear, and likewise her savior pulled her against his sturdy frame and wrapped one arm tightly around her waist while he used the other to carry them both upwards till finally, finally, their heads broke through the surface of the water.

All Klara could hear were her own greedy gasps as she gulped down as much air as her lungs could hold over and over again till the hot burning in her lungs had lessened to a somewhat uncomfortable sting, her head resting against the heaving chest of her rescuer given that she could not lift it. As she clung to him with the same fierceness that a frightened child clung to his or her mother, she could feel his body heat permeating her frozen muscles, which had begun to shiver as the cool air bit into her wet skin but she did not complain. Everything around her felt as distant and hazy as if she were still submerged amongst the waves and she could feel her instinct to remain awake and on the defensive slowly succumbing to sleep's persuasion. As she started to drift off, she heard something that sounded like somebody calling her name, but while she recognized the voice, she could not place to whom it belonged.

"Klara!....Klara!...."

—————————————

When Klara awoke to the feeling of a pair of foreign arms wrapped around her torso, she did what any logical person would do: she rammed her elbow into the culprit's side and scrambled to the far side of their dimly lit cell as he instinctively threw his hands over the place where he had been struck.

"Well that's an odd way of saying thank you."

Klara's eyes glowed like hot embers as she glared vehemently at Lotor, who raised himself up into a sitting position. "What did you do to me while I was asleep?"

"I believe I kept you warm. You continued to shiver quite violently for several varga after we were fished out of the flooded hanger, and given that I went to the trouble of rescuing you from drowning, I didn't want you to freeze to death." Lotor replied rather snidely with smug smirk on his face to match. However, his grin soon gave way to a frown and his expression grew grave as he rested his chin in the palm of his hand. "You should have told me that you couldn't swim."

"You mean your stupid book never told you that?! Also, I can swim for your information."

"Flailing your arms and legs does not count as swimming."

"Well it doesn't matter whether you know how to swim or not when you have a pair of wings that turn into anchors when they become wet!"

"So that's why you felt so heavy when I was trying to keep us both afloat." Lotor remarked, earning himself a sharp slap across the face from the flustered Lepidoptan. Cradling his aching cheek, he continued nonetheless. "Regardless, you should have told me. Had I grabbed you ahead of time so you weren't wheezing for air like a phisuff, we might not have gotten captured."

"Oh no you don't! You are NOT pinning this one on me! I told you from the beginning that attempting to retake the base when we had no idea what we were up against was a bad idea and you refused to listen to me! If anyone is at fault here, it's you!" Klara spat angrily whilst pointing an accusing finger at the purple prince, her wings wildly fluttering as best they could despite still being water logged.

"Our situation is graver than it should be due to your feud with Quenten; do not forget that, my dear." Lotor retorted rather bluntly. "Also, would it kill you to show a little gratitude? I didn't have to save you, I chose to."

Klara gave a dumbfounded scoff. "A Galra wants to lecture me about gratitude?! The livelihood of your people is made by taking from others without any thanks, so I don't want to here whatever hypocritical comment you have to say about gratitude!"

A low growl bubbled in the back of Lotor's throat as he clenched his teeth, but after thinking for a tick, he suppressed the noise and tore his eyes away from Klara, choosing instead to stare at the ceiling above. "We can bicker about this later; right now our focus needs to be exclusively on escaping and then regrouping with Ezor, Zethrid, and Narti. Someone could come to take us to what will surely be our doom at any moment so we need to be fast. Given the somewhat dated structure of this cell, I would say that ceiling holds the most promise for a route of escape via a loose panel, unless of course this base isn't as old as it seems and this is in fact the later version of this cell model where the grid holding the tiles contains sensory technology that will trigger an alarm or a lockdown protocol if anything is moved."

"Well, which one is it?!"

"I do not know given that to two types of cells look practically identical to the eye. The only way we will know for sure is by attempting to raise one of the panels and hoping for the best."

"Wonderful..." Klara grumbled with a roll of her eyes before approaching Lotor and placing her hands on his shoulders. "Let's get this over with then. Give me a boost and do NOT drop me."

"Now why would I drop someone as sweet as you?" Lotor retorted mockingly as he stooped down and looped his arms around Klara's thighs, quickly hoisting her into the air before she could respond and smirking as she gasped in surprise.

After throwing out her arms to steady herself, Klara shot Lotor a choice scowl and then set to work feeling all of the panels, jostling each one slightly to test how snugly it was fitted to its own slot till she found the loosest one. Biting her lip, she drew in a long slow breath and then slowly inched the tile out of position, waiting for an alarm to sound at any moment, but nothing was heard and before long the sheet of metal was almost completely free. A sigh of relief welled up in Klara's throat as she gave one final push but it quickly change to a shrill shriek as a potent, powerful, burning sting raced up her arm, the force sending her toppling down onto the hard floor where she lay clutching the now throbbing limb to her chest.

"Klara!" Lotor exclaimed as he knelt beside her, his eyes wide with shock and worry.

"I told you not to drop me!" Klara snapped angrily as she tried to sit up, her eyelashes fluttering at rapid speeds as she blinked back the tears attempting to creep onto her face. A pained hiss sounded through clenched teeth as she tenderly massaged her arm, hoping to restore some of the feeling in her currently numb fingers. "Prascht, this hurts! You never said it would shock me!"

"That's because I didn't know. The system must have received another upgrade."

"Really?! You don't say?!"

Lotor swallowed thickly as his growl from earlier attempted to escape again and gingerly grabbed the wrist of Klara's injured arm instead. "Let me have a look at it-"

"No thanks. I think I'm done trusting you for today." Klara remarked flatly as she pulled out of his grasp and resumed cradling her arm protectively against her chest, her wings sluggishly opening and wrapping around her like a protective cloak that concealed everything other than her head from view.

Lotor's nostrils flared but he managed to keep his tone even despite his growing irritation. "Klara, we need to make sure there isn't any permanent damage. Let me look at it!"

"I don't want your help! I'll nurse it myself!"

Lotor's jaw clenched as the last cord of his already strained nerves began to fray, but before it could snap, the door the cell whooshed open and a impish giggle greeted his ears.

"I thought I heard you two loveroyes squawking about in here. It's about time you two woke up; everybody's _dying_ to meet the royal couple." Pitham crowed snarkily as she smirked at them, her eyes full of devilish malice. Turning to Alcayt, who stood beside her, she offered him an artificially sweet smile and walked her fingers up his arm as she spoke to him in a sing songish falsetto that she must have thought was cute. "Aly, my darling, would you grab them for me? I'm still sore from the mean Galra prince falling on top of me and I don't want either of them to hurt me again."

Alcayt's demeanor had completely changed since Lotor and Klara last saw him, his once bright, cheerful face marred by the hollow, grim expression similar to those worn by the most experienced of pirates, and as he glared at her with untempered disgust, a pool of guilt swirled in Klara's stomach til she felt sick.

"Alcayt, I-"

"I don't want to hear any more of your lies, witch, so shut your mouth before I shut it for you."

Klara didn't say another word as pairs of identical cuffs, each of which was attached to its own long, bulky chain, were snapped onto her and Lotor's wrists before they were sharply pulled from the cell and into the hallway, their stumbling making Pitham giggle with delight.

"Don't even think about trying to cause any trouble by the way, " she purred while drawing a large blaster from its holster on her belt and giving it a twirl, "unless, of course, you just want to get yours death over with now."

The walk through the base's many intersecting hallways was not long enough for Klara's liking and her heart nearly staggered to a standstill as Pitham stopped all too soon in front of a large door that she could somehow differentiate as the one she wanted from all of its practical identical brethren that also lined the halls. As the door slid open, loud, obnoxious guffawing greeted Klara's ears, the seemingly merry sound making her stomach crawl as she was dragged into the room with Lotor in tow. When their presence was noticed, silence swept almost immediately across the large horde of thieves aside from the occasional whisper or grunt, and Klara could feel dozens upon dozens of scornful, beady eyes on her back as they watched her like starved beasts, waiting for her to trip or stumble so they could attack. Apparently either completely oblivious or entirely indifferent of the atmosphere around her, Pitham practically skipped to the center of room, which Klara could only conclude was a training room or arena of sorts due to the large amount of open space, and ascended up the raised platform at the center, where the plush chair from the office of the base's top general had been set up like some makeshift throne for the captain, who currently laid sprawled across it in a rather graceless manner. As their eyes met, Klara locked her jaw and pursed her lips in an attempt to hide her fear behind a mask of irritation, but Quenten only chuckled at her efforts as he rose to his feet and approached her, cracks appearing in her steely expression to appear almost instantaneously due to the churning anxiety hidden beneath.

"What's the matter with all of you? Why are you so grim? We are in the presence of young, passionate love! These two deserve our celebration!"

A unanimous roar of thunderous laughter rang through the air as the crowd threw back their heads and jeered at Klara and Lotor, a few of the gutsiest marauders even daring to hurl various "presents" at the duo and laughing even harder as they danced about to avoid being hit. As the noise began to decrescendo to a soft hum, three pairs of pirates who had been lingering by Quenten's throne rushed forward, the first and second grabbing hold of one of the prisoners and forcing them onto their knees while the third hurriedly set about fastening them to the stage by their chains.

"You're going to look so pretty when Quenten's done with you, Klara, right Acai?" one of Klara's handlers hissed in her ear as she gave her arm a tight squeeze.

"Yes she will. She'll look just like a proper bride for a Galra, Ciaa." the other, who looked practically identical to the first, crowed tauntingly as she gave Klara's braid a yank.

Once the six pirates had backed away, Zypher slithered out of the shadows by the throne as well and made her way over to her captain, a large black caldron filled with hot coals and rods of metal clutched tightly in her hands. Plucking one of the rods from the bunch, Quenten held it up into the air and examined the red hot tip with a critical eye before proceeding to drag it across the ground in front of him, painting a charred black scar across the stage as a burning stench invaded the air. Seemingly satisfied with the rod's performance, Quenten returned it to the cauldron before approaching Klara and grabbing her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time. The ship you stole from me may be no more than shambles now, but I can at least restore my status and pride to what it once was through your humiliation and termination." He sneered as he drew another rod and held the scalding hot end beneath her chin, the heat radiating off of it alluding to the pain that was about to come. "Just do me a favor and don't die right away; I want to enjoy this."

Lotor's jaw hung agape as he stared at Quenten and Klara with utter perplexity, his mind still struggling to fully grasp the pettiness of the statement he had just heard. "A ship? That's what this entire feud is about, a quiznaking ship?!"

Quenten's eyes sparkled as he flashed Klara a sneer. "You haven't told him? My dear, you are a truly terrible fiance."

Klara said nothing, opting to only glare at him venomously while also casting the occasional glance at the hot rod that he still held tightly in one hand.

"Fine then. I'll explain." Quenten chirped before turning to Lotor with a dramatic flourish. "Yes, the ship your beloved now pilots is part of a feud, but it is only a small piece of a much larger component. You see, your highness, we pirates have special factions amongst our network of thieves and marauders, and Klara here decided to humiliate me in front of one of them by stealing not only my ship but all the gifts I had brought for them as well, shaming me in such a way that ensured I would never be permitted to join not only their alliance but any other alliance as well."

"You brought it on yourself! Ensuring that you couldn't form any alliances and taking your ship were minor punishments after all you did to me and my crew. You humiliated us countless times, you planted a spy amongst our ranks so you could sabotage our raids, and worst you of all, you cost me the trail I had been following to try and find the wings of my father and grandfather! What I did to you was justice!" Klara spat angrily as she tugged at her chains with all her might, her eyes burning like unstable stars.

Silence fell over the room again as Klara's words echoed through the air, and the Lepidoptan felt her heart drop into her stomach as Quenten's grin faded away and his eyes hardened. In the blink of an eye, he had grabbed hold of her again by her neck, squeezing it tightly till Klara could barely breathe while fishing another rod from the bunch with his other hand.

"You see, that's what you don't get, princess. Piracy isn't about justice; it's about being the last one standing." he growled before pressing the rod against her skin without any further hesitation and dragging it along her dark pink markings, which he knew happened to be more sensitive. His wicked grin returned as he watched Klara's face change and her eyes begin to water, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip till it bleed as she tried not to scream and writhe in pain. Not a single member of his crew dared utter a word as they watched, unsure as to whether they found the display before them satisfying or completely horrifying. However, for one bystander, it quickly became too much.

"Stop! Stop it! This isn't going to accomplish anything!" Lotor shouted as he squirmed in his bonds.

Quenten only chuckled and shook his head. "Calm down, Prince Lotor. You'll get your turn soon enough."

Lotor's nostrils flared as he hurriedly wracked his brain for something he could say, something that would catch Quenten's attention and force him to stop, and after a moment, he had it.

"This is cowardice! If you really wanted to restore yourself to a place of glory, you would fight her on even ground! Killing her like this will not make you the pirate you once were; it will just disgrace you further!"

The clattering of the iron rod hitting the floor echoed throughout the room. Slowly, Quenten rose from where he had crouched before Klara and stalked towards Lotor, his eyes dark and merciless as he grabbed Lotor by the shoulder and began to squeeze.

"You don't know when to shut your mouth, Galra. Maybe I will kill you first." he snarled.

"Go ahead. Kill me in front of your entire crew and then return to torturing the Lepidoptan; you'll just be proving me right." Lotor sneered despite the pain he felt, his smirk never wavering even for a moment.

Quenten's grip on the prince tightened for a moment before he finally released him and turned away, marching over to his throne. Easing himself down upon it, he thought in silence for a moment as all eyes watched before eventually straightening in his seat and clearing his throat.

"Fine then. In four quintents time, the Lepidoptan and I shall fight not only before my crew but before as many pirate crews we can possible gather here by that time. Then all things will be made right!"

Roars of approval rang from most of the pirates, but the seven pirates on the stage all wore expressions of doubt.

"Sir, I'm not so sure that's a good idea. Waiting four quintents for the fight will give the Lepidoptan time to prepare..." Zypher began to protest but her voice broke off when Quenten shot her a bone-chilling glare.

"Are you saying you believe I won't be able to beat her?"

"No sir, I just-"

"This is what I have decided, Zypher, so this is what shall be done. Is that understood?" Quenten growled, the hair on the back of his neck bristling.

Zypher swallowed her remaining words of protest and bowed stiffly. "Yes, captain."

"Escort the Galra and the Lepidoptan back to their cell. We must begin making preparations for the match immediately."

"Aye captain. Blipp, take Alcayt and escort the prisoners back to their cell. Pitham, you are to begin cleaning this arena immediately until it shines like new. The rest of you get back to work!"

As the crowd began to disperse with only mild amounts of grumbling, Alcayt released Lotor's chain from where it had been hooked into the floor while one of the seven pirates who seemed to belong to some kind of inner circle amongst the crew pulled Klara to her feet and looped one of her arms over his shoulder to help support her as she walked since her body was still in shock. Not a word was said as they made their way back to the cell, but Lotor could sense the somewhat awkward yet hostile tension radiating off of Klara and the pirate, Blipp, as they walked. It wasn't until he was gently despoting Klara on the ground in the cell that the boy finally broke the silence.

"You shouldn't have done what you did, Klara. This is your own fault." he said, though his voice sounded somewhat sad as his spoke.

"I don't want your pity, traitor. Just do me a favor and get out of my sight." Klara hissed venomously as she glared up at him.

Blipp wordlessly obliged and the door to the cell quickly slid closed, leaving Klara and Lotor alone once more, but Klara did not allow her masquerade to drop until she was certain that they were gone, holding back her tears until the last of their footsteps had completely faded. Resting her head against the wall behind her, she threw one hand over her mouth to muffle her pained sobs as the salt from her tears stung her fresh burns, prompting some more tears to flow and the thus continuing the cycle all over again. Although he had no idea what to do, Lotor dropped down beside her and began to carefully brush away her tears, avoiding her markings as best he could.

"We need to treat these before they become infected." he thought aloud, his expression serious as he scanned the cell for something he could use only to find nothing. Cursing under his breath, he hastily removed a few pieces of his outer armor and began to claw out all of the padding inside till he had a nice little pile for him to use, some of which he touch and used to dab Klara's eyes.

"Use this to dry your tears. While I'm sure the salt is quite cleansing, I doubt it feels very good." he cooed in an unusually soft voice. "Once you are well enough, we will begin training you for the fight. While I'm hoping the others will find us before then, we must be prepared."

"There's no point. I stole from him because I knew I couldn't beat him head on and that's when I was at my best, so there's no way I'll be able to beat him at my worst. He has years of combat experience and more raw strength then I could ever hope for while I only have a improvised fighting style I created using my dancing as a template. I won't be able to beat him; I'm going to die." Klara whimpered as she hunched her shoulders in defeat, her voice quivering as she spoke.

"You not are going to die. You managed to defeat me in direct combat and that is no easy feat. You can beat him." Lotor argued fiercely, though his voice still never rose above a whisper.

"I managed to beat you because I caught you by surprise. Now that you know my fighting style and what it stems from, you would be able to beat me with ease; heck, you've already done it once! Quenten will be no different." Klara replied glumly, her dejected gaze fixed on her feet.

"Then we'll just have to surprise him again."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"By teaching you to fight like a Galra."

Klara stared at Lotor with a hint of surprise that was soon overshadowed by pessimism. "There's not enough time! I can't change my entire fighting style in four days!"

"I never said we were changing it; we're just adding to it. By blending your fighting style with some basic Galra training, we will create a new, never before seen style of fighting that will not only ensure your victory but also teach you some of the discipline that you are currently lacking."

Klara's gut told her that she should be offended but at the moment she was too tired to care about something so seemingly insignificant in regards to their current situation. "Why are you doing this? You could just let Quenten kill me and escape on your own. Why are you helping me, and don't you dare give me that Kaltenecker crap that you'll just miss me waiting on you!"

The corners of Lotor's lips curved upwards ever so slightly. "Because I misjudged you. You may be somewhat petty and stubborn, but you have more honor and selflessness than any of those other pirates in that room. You have put yourself in harm's way to protect others over and over again and you never give up when something matters to you. The universe needs more people like that."

Klara was stunned, her cheeks growing somewhat warm as the prince's words sank in. Biting her lip, she averted her eyes from him for a moment before timidly glancing back just in time to meet his gaze, and she felt her heart do a little backflip as they locked eyes.

"....Thank you, my prince...." she eventually managed to stammer out given that she suddenly felt quite winded despite the fact that she was sitting down.

A voice in the back of Lotor's mind begged him to tease her in reply, but the prince only continued to smile. "You're welcome. I'll go see if I can get us some what so we can properly clean your wounds. After that I want you to rest, alright?"

"Yes, my prince."

"You don't actually have to call me that. No one does. Please just refer to me as Lotor."

"Yes, Lotor."


	17. Chapter 17

She could hear him behind her, his footsteps light and slow as he stealthily crept towards her. With each step, the thundering of her heart strengthened as it guzzled more adrenaline, multiplying the force with which it slammed against her ribcage in an attempt to flee from the prince, but she refused to move, her breaths remaining steady and slow like those of one still cradled in the tender embrace of slumber. She wasn't going to mess up this time; she didn't have any time left to. She had to get this right.

_Tap_

_"Not yet."_

_Tap_

_"Not yet."_

_Tap_

_Tap_

Klara's heart gave another sharp, panicked flutter. _"He's right on top of you! Do something!"_

_"No. He isn't close enough yet."_

_Tap_

_Tap_

_"Now!"_

Eyes flying open, Klara swung around and immediately took a swing at Lotor's legs, hooking her foot on the inside of his knee and pulling him down. Before he could regain his balance, she used the momentum of her kick to lift herself up enough to wrap her other leg around his neck, and as she brought him down, she made sure to grab hold of his wrists to prevent him from stabbing her with his claws in an attempt to free himself.

"N..Not bad. You actually managed to wait long enough this time." Lotor purred, his voice somewhat breathy and strained as he fought to breathe in Klara's tight hold. "However, you forgot something again."

Klara's face scrunched in confusion as she mulled over everything she had been cramming into her brain over the last few quintents, but before she could come to a conclusion, Lotor revealed the answer to her by ramming his heel into her head, disorienting her enough for him to rip his hands free and shove her off of him. However, as he rose to his feet and dusted himself off, the smile he was sporting quickly vanished when he noticed Klara just sitting on the ground, the faintest of whimpers sounding from her as she cradled where she had been hit.

"Klara?" he called worriedly as he reached a hand towards her, fearing he had hit her a little harder than he intended. However, to his surprise, the Lepidoptan quickly grabbed his arm and twisted it as she forced him to the ground again, this time taking extra care to kneel on his legs to immobilize them.

"A Galra soldier should never let his guard down, correct?" She chirped taunting as a smug spark glimmered in her eye.

Lotor chuckled quietly as he shot her an approving smile over his shoulder; however, his expression wavered slightly when he noticed a bruise was already beginning to form on her temple.

"It seems I was a little bit rougher with you than I intended to be. You have my apologies." he muttered with a hint of guilt once Klara had climbed off of him, though to him his words seemed like little recompense for the wound. However, his worries were quickly dismissed as Klara suddenly began knocking on his head, causing him to pull back and eye her with a mixture of annoyance and confusion. "What are you doing?"  
  


"Checking your head."

"Why?"

"Because you rarely apologize and when you do it's usually sarcastic."

Scoffing, Lotor swatted the Lepidoptan's hand away again as she attempted to resume her knocking and playfully batted at her head in return while she ducked. Part of him had believed that the two of them were going to tear each other apart long before the gladiatorial match ever took place, but after the initial ten or so fights that they had had within the first quintent of their confinement together, the two of them seemed to come to an accord of sorts due to their situation. In fact, though some awkwardness and tension still lingered between them, Lotor had actually come to somewhat enjoy Klara's company and he could only assume by the occasional smile or chuckle that she allowed to slip that she wasn't entirely appalled by his companionship either. However, especially now, the weight of the coming battle hung heavy on their shoulder and their soft smiles soon fell as the quiet stillness resumed.

"...You've done well. In a matter of a few quintents, you have learned what often takes most young Galra almost a quarter if not a third of a decaphoeb to fully grasp." Lotor eventually crowed as he eyed Klara in an almost prideful way, though the tense atmosphere still rendered him unable to muster a smile.

"That isn't quite as reassuring as you think it is." Klara muttered sarcastically, though her humor was hollow and artificial now. Sighing, she allowed her attention to rest on the sliding door that sat a short distance off of her right, her cerulean eyes advertising her apprehension and dread brighter than if a neon sign had been slung up above her head. "Is this really going to be enough? I don't feel any more prepared to face Quenten now than I did a few days ago; in fact, I probably feel worse now off than I did then because I finally have a clear picture of the expansive gap between our levels of combat experience. I don't stand a chance..."

"Nonsense. If you can survive being my personal attendant without breaking then you are more than capable of handling a measly pirate." Lotor retorted, hoping the playful hint in his voice would rekindle the woman's flame. Shifting into a kneeling position, he ever so gently grasped hold of Klara's chin and dragged it towards him so that he could meet her eyes. "You're letting the enemy get into your head. If you let them in your head-"

"-then they've already won half the fight." Klara finished, unable to tear her gaze away from Lotor's face. She still wasn't entirely certain why the Galra prince was suddenly being so nice to her. True, his fate was currently resting her hands but even that did not seem enough to justify his sudden change in behavior, and what puzzled her further was the fact that she wasn't entirely appalled or annoyed by the sudden change in their usual chemistry. However, now was not the time to worry about such things; there were far more imminent matters at hand.

Blushing when she realized that Lotor had yet to relinquish his hold of her chin, Klara gently turned her head away so his hand naturally fell back into his lap. "Defeating Quenten is still only half of the issue; should I manage to subdue him, there will still be the matter of the other pirates. Hopefully those invited to observe the match will deem it best to remain as bystanders once the fight is over but there is also the chance that they will attempt to capture us themselves in order to take the base and its goods for their own. What we also need to consider is the Irisauri and the rest of Quenten's crew. If the fight goes in my favor, they will more than likely attack regardless of whatever orders their captain gives and they may even pull the other crews present into the fray."

"So to put it simply, the odds of us becoming caught in the middle of a full blown brawl are extremely high."

Klara gave a grim nod. "We'll be totally outnumbered and overwhelmed. Without some kind of backup, we'll surely-"

"You're doing it again. You have to block it out, Klara; you can't let anything distract you during the fight. We have to trust that Axca and the others will come through."

"And if they don't?"

Lotor suppressed his growing irritation and instead offered Klara a soft smile and his hand. "Let me worry about that. Now, shall we run a few more exercises or would you prefer to rest up and save your strength?"

Klara was silent for a moment before seemingly settling on the first of the two options as she took Lotor's hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Gazing up into the prince's eyes, Klara felt a plague of temporary paralysis wash over her, their close proximity to one another only adding to the spell's strength, and Lotor, seemingly bewitched as well, did not try to pull away either, his azure orbs locked in an unwavering stare with Klara's own. While he could feel his words bubbling up in his throat, his lips remained frozen despite the tension in the air coming to a boil around him, warming his body with a light pink flush. He didn't want to break it; he wanted to stay in that moment for a while so of course that's when the cell door suddenly flew open.

"Aw, look Acai, they're having a moment! Should we come back later so they can say their goodbyes?" Ciaa crowed mockingly as she dramatically clasped her hands together and brought them to her chest, her eyes full bright malice as she sneered at the couple.

Acai's smirk matched her sister's as she eyed the couple, her fingers ghosting over one of the knives hanging at her side as she dragged her teeth over her bottom lip. "Death waits for nothing and no one and the captain is even more impatient. It would be unwise to keep either waiting. Sekh, Xaws, take the girl to the arena; my sister and I will handle the prince."

Lotor's grip on Klara tightened as the two other Irisauri, a reptilian being with four pupiless, garnet eyes and a buff, heavily marred Cathailan like Quenten, tromped into the cell and and he swiftly ducked down and pressed his lips to her ear before they were swiftly tugged apart.

"Focus on your fight. Let me worry about the rest. Today is not our last day."

Briefly, the duo's eyes locked once more, a final connection between them before Klara was more or less dragged off by other two marauders, leaving Lotor at the mercy of the mulberry-skinned sisters. Sashaying over to him, Acai once again sank her teeth into her plush bottom lip as she twirled his forelock slowly around her finger, her hot breath tickling the prince's skin as he scowled at her.

"Come now, your highness; there's no need to be so cold. You should try to enjoy what little time you have left." She crowed in a sultry voice as she dragged the back of her other hand along the prince's cheek, the gap between them no larger than a fist. However, to her surprise, Lotor promptly grabbed her wrist and sharply threw it aside.

"I have no interest in belittling myself and becoming your plaything, so I advise that you don't waste your time."

The husky warmth in Acai's eyes evaporated almost instantly, leaving a cold, empty darkness in its place, and without the slightest hesitation, she struck Lotor across the face, carving a shallow but lengthy gash in one of his cheeks.

"Fine." she spat bitterly. "If you want to die so badly then I won't keep you waiting."

————————————

She hadn't expected a crowd like this. Sure, she had expected a few of the other crews whom she had had...unpleasant encounters with to possibly show, but she was greeted by at least five hundred faces, familiar and unfamiliar alike, if not more as she was led into the same room where she and Lotor had received their death sentence quintents before, the thundering ruckus of her erratic heart seeming more like a faint, insignificant murmur as her ears were assaulted by the zealous howls of her audience to the point of near deafness. Her mouth grew drier than a desert and her chest tightened to the point that she felt like she couldn't breathe, her eyes darting all over the room till she had just about made herself dizzy, and she could feel her insides churning and her head spinning as she robotically marched alongside Sekh and Xaws towards the middle of the room where Quenten stood waiting, his lips already twisting into a victorious smirk that made her blood boil.

 _"Don't let them in your head. If you let them in your head, the battle is already half won."_ whispered her mind, its voice somehow perfectly mimicking the accent and timbre of the Galra prince whose presence she almost somewhat missed at the moment. _"Your enemy's first move in a fight is always mental, not physical. He will try to distract and discourage you by playing on your fears or overwhelming you, thus putting you at a disadvantage by depriving you of your greatest weapon: your mind. You must drown out all distractions and focus only on your mission, for the death of the mind is quickly followed by the death of the body."_

Shuddering slightly at the grim warning, Klara forced herself to tear her eyes from the crowd and focus her attention solely on Quenten, who locked eyes with her as soon as he noticed her gaze was on him and left her instincts screaming for her to shrink back, but just as her throat began to swell shut, Lotor's voice rang through her head yet again.

_"The way you carry yourself plays more into a battle than you think. If you present yourself to your opponent with a timorous demeanor about you, you not only lower your own confidence but increase the confidence of your adversary as well, assuring him that his victory is already secure. When engaging an enemy, a Galra soldier must conceal his feelings behind a mask and instead present himself as formidable by making himself appear as large and sturdy as possible, without looking entirely ridiculous of course. Silly as it sounds, it is an effective tactic that is often used as a basis by which young Galra trainees are sorted for training and it is one of the first things that you must master as part of your training."_

_"Look big and intimidating, huh? Easy to say when you're a member of one of the tallest races in the known universe."_ she sighed internally. Nonetheless, she drew as much breath into her lungs as possible, puffing out her chest and squaring her shoulders as she brought herself to her full height despite the dozens of peering stares that bore into her, and after a thoughtful pause, she allowed her wings to unfurl to their full glory, the tips reaching above even Sekh's head as he and Xaws ducked to side slightly to avoid being smacked. Reluctantly quelling her urge to smirk, she returned her attention to Quenten to see the captain now staring at her inquisitively as she approached him, his self-assured smirk nowhere in sight which was all the better for her. However, her gaze did not linger on him long before quickly diverting to what was going on in the stands directly behind him, a blur of black, white, and lavender in particular catching her eye, but no sooner had her eyes met Lotor that she was harshly thrown forward by her handlers, causing her to stumble rather awkwardly into the middle of the arena.

Doing her best to ignore the burning in her checks, Klara picked herself back up and resumed her proud stance, glaring defiantly at Quenten as he slowly rose from his seat, Pitham and Kolaq appearing momentarily from amongst the crowd to remove the chair from the floor so it would not interfere. Sauntering over to her, he bent down slightly almost like he was trying to remind her that her stature still paled in comparison to his own hulkish build, but she did not give way and remained as she was, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

"Are you ready to join your father and grandfather in the afterlife, little princess? I'm sure they're looking forward to seeing you again." he hissed teasingly with bared fangs, his eyes practically glowing with bloodlust.

Klara could practically smell her blood boiling inside of her veins but she forced her lips to remain shut, opting instead to brush past her opponent and make her way to the far edge of the circle. Scowling at her indifference towards him, Quenten gave a sharp cough to clear his throat and turned with a mighty flourish to the waiting crowd, who had suddenly grown quite quiet. For a moment, the catty captain allowed his eyes to mull over the crowd, drinking in the expressions on every face as the tension in the air built before finally releasing a chilling laugh that sent shivers down the spines of all who were present.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you all know why you are here so let's just skip to the good part, shall we?"

Klara did her best to tune out the wild hollering of the impatient crowd as she studied the Cathailan from afar while he lapped up the commotion like a dehydrated mutt, the only physical indication of her efforts being the slight wrinkling of her nose.

_"Before the fight has even begun, you should already be assessing your opponent. Look for any weak spots or unique impairments that he or she may have and add that knowledge to whatever you hopefully already know above the individual or his or her species. Even if you have already faced this opponent before, you need to examine him or her with the same thoroughness as if this was your first encounter to ensure that you catch any changes to his or her person that may have developed during your time apart."_

Numerous scars? Check. Old injuries that healed up a long time ago? Check. Armor? Check. No physical defects that she could use to her advantage? Double check. However, before her stomach could be completely engulfed by the dark abyss that had been growing inside of her ever since she first entered the overrun base, Klara found her eyes wandering back and forth between Quenten and the crowd, and after a moment of contemplation, the first wisps of a plan began to form in her mind and not a moment too soon as Quenten suddenly spun around to face her, his eyes resembling those of a starved animal that had just cornered its meal. It was a long shot at best and could majorly backfire if she wasn't careful but at the moment it was her best and only option, so before even a tick could pass, she charged with the speed of a bullet, Lotor's voice ringing loud and clear in her ears.

_"Hesitation is a weakness that the Galra do not tolerate for a single pause can derail an entire mission. Once you know your plan of attack, you must strike with swift precision to prevent the odds from changing. In battle, you have two options: victory or death."_


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! After recent events I wanted to talk to you guys, not just as an author or a fellow Voltron Alliance member but as a human being with feelings and fears. The Voltron fandom is a very passionate group, and while that is wonderful in ways, it is also very intimidating as a writer. Due to this fact, I am writing this disclaimer that will include a minor spoiler for this book, though I will try to keep things as vague as possible for your sakes, with the hopes that it will help prevent some of the.....unpleasantries I have seen others fall prey to.
> 
> As I'm sure you've probably guessed by now, this latest note focuses on our beloved Space Padre, Shiro. You see, when I first entered the Voltron fandom this time last year and began working on the bare bones for this story, I developed a female character who I planned on pairing with Shiro from the very beginning. I put a lot of time, care, and heart into planning not only her as a character but also the relationship that she and Shiro would share; heck, I've even planned out a kid for them already! With that being said, I am going to continue with my original plan of having them together, and my hope is that you all will respect my decision and either continue reading my story or leave quietly if my choice truly upsets you that much.
> 
> There is still plenty of time before this relationship unfolds in the story and it isn't going to be as imperative to the plot as the bond between Klara and Lotor, but after all the planning and heart that went into this secondary ship, I didn't want to change it. I hope you all understand and will continue to provide this book with your reads and support, but whether you remain or decide that we must bid one another ado, thank you for at least hearing me out.
> 
> \- Lilah

_"Engage. Dodge. Retreat. Engage. Dodge. Retreat. Taunt and evade. Taunt and evade. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three...."_

Klara's feet had never moved so fast, not even when she was dancing the quickest of her people's dances. As she darted about the floor of the arena, the rambunctious shouts of the audience all melded into one unanimous roar of unintelligible noise that fought to overpower the steady yet fragile rhythm currently playing on repeat in her mind, its swift yet precise tempo guiding each of her steps as she kept pace with it. The quick glance she stole at Quenten's red, sweaty face before abruptly rolling to her left to avoid being smashed against the ground by a downward swing of his fists told her that her opponent was beginning to tire, but the way he moved assured her he still had more than enough fight left in him to take her down easily if she got to close so after delivering a powerful kick to the backside of his knee that sent him toppling, she bolted away while the crowd gave another unanimous scream of approval.

"Wench! Get back here and fight!" Quenten snarled angrily as he staggered back to his feet, the already bulging veins stretching along his temples and neck swelling even further in size to the point that it left one wondering how they had yet to burst from the pent up pressure.

Despite Lotor's warnings, Klara allowed a small grin to briefly ghost across her lips. "And make it easy for you? Where's the fun in that?"

Those in the audience that were close enough to the floor of the arena to hear her remark chuckled or snorted aloud, the noise rippling outwards as the rest of the crowd echoed the laughter either because someone had told them what was said or because they felt the compulsive urge to blend in. Either way, the snickering achieved the precise goal that Klara had been hoping for, her confidence rising ever so slightly as she watched Quenten's face darken due to him growing increasingly flustered, but she had little time to celebrate as Quenten barreled towards her with a grunt, his heavy footfalls sounding like claps of thunder as they bounced off the walls of the spacious room. Ducking as he swiped at her head with his massive claws, she found her eyes trailing after his arm as her mental melody started over once again.

 _"One, two, three. One, two, three. Ugh, he's still on beat! Won't he just get tired or too angry to think straight already?!"_ she silently cursed whilst leaping back several feet, hissing ever so softly to herself when she landed rather awkwardly on one of her ankles thanks to her temporary lack of focus. Ignoring the dull throbbing that now permeated the muscles in her foot, she dropped down once more as Quenten swung at her again and swiftly jabbed him in the armpit, earning another satisfying howl of pain from him as an intense stinging flooded every nerve in his arm, but before she could scurry away again, she paused and the world around her suddenly seemed to slow.

 _"This could be your opening! Take your shot and finish this now!"_ her instincts shouted impatiently. _"This fight is taking too long. If you drag this out much longer, you're the one who is going to tire out and then you'll be even more screwed! Bring him down now!"_

Klara yearned to listen to her instincts, to charge at the captain one last time and deliver a blow that would leave him unable to get back up, but just as the thought crossed her mind, she became keenly aware of the pair of yellow and blue eyes peering at her over Quenten's shoulder from the audience. Pursing her lips as she hastily looked away before Lotor met her gaze and scowled disapprovingly at her for taking her attention off of her opponent, she allowed her eyes to carefully glide over Quenten's form in order to assess his current state. Even with the damage she had dealt, the Cathailan still had three fully functioning limbs, four if one counted the tail which he could maneuver with the same ease and accuracy as an arm or leg, and although her blow had obviously caused him considerable pain, she knew better than to assume that would affect his ability to fight, so with a heavy internal sigh, she swiftly streaked to the other side of the ring, doing her best to ignore the screamings of her inner dialogue that rivaled the exclamations of her audience.

 _"I'll fight a little longer. If nothing changes between now and my next opening, I'll take him down."_ she told herself in an attempt to appease her mind as she skidded to a halt and spun back around, already preparing herself for Quenten's next attack.

The match slowly dragged on, although the excitement radiating off of the crowd never once dwindled nor did Quenten's barrage of insults as he trailed after her in a furious flurry. Forced to remain the defensive party, Klara waltzed about the the ring like it was some kind of stage, her few, irregular blows meant to stun and aggravate more than harm as she danced just beyond the reach of Quenten's claws while the spine of erect bristles stretching from the rival captain's neck to his swishing tail served as evidence of his waning temper. Every so often, Klara would catch a glimpse of those watching her as she ducked and leaped with much gusto, and while she only managed to scour through a section of those gathered at a time, she did not once catch a glimpse of even one of the four faces she sought. On a few occasions, she managed to briefly lock eyes with Lotor as well, and while anyone else wouldn't have been able to read it, she could detect the faintest traces of concern in his otherwise stoic face, meaning he had also noticed his generals' absence. With each passing moment, Klara could feel her muscles starting to ache despite all the years spent conditioning her body, her throat and mouth growing drier with each breath as beads of sweat races down her face in zigzag patterns, and she guessed that she had about a varga of energy left before her muscles started to give out or she became too mentally drained to think straight, a varga and a few dobashes if she really pushed herself. In other words, this fight had to end soon.

Fortunately, Quenten was just as mortal as she, meaning he was also growing wearier with each passing moment. Even from a distance, she could practically feel is hot, labored pants on her skin, and his broad shoulders hunched slightly as his arms grew heavier and heavier, pulling him closer to the ground. Still, the angry flare hadn't left his eyes, and he continued to attack her with just enough speed and force while simultaneously keeping any vital attack points protected, preventing her from gaining any kind of advantage over him, much to her annoyance. At this rate, she would be the one who eventually fell, not by Quenten's hand but by her own incompetence though that fact brought her little comfort. Grinding her teeth as she ducked to avoid yet another attack from Quenten, Klara once more allowed her eyes to drift to Lotor, and to her surprise, his expression had changed, his face having hardened like stone as his eyes gleamed like ice, cold and unforgiving. Once his azure orbs met her own, a silent understanding occurred between them, and after a moment, Lotor inclined his head ever so slightly, a gesture that to most would seem insignificant but meant the word to Klara.

_"Finish it."_

A newfound energy surged into Klara's muscles, chasing away the heavy slothfulness that had begun to nag at her body and leaving her practically buzzing with fresh strength. The corners of her lips curved upwards slightly as she sprinted forward and slid through Quenten's legs, making sure to deliver a sharp kick to his rump as she sprang back to her feet behind him which roused another round of chuckles from the crowd followed by a series of gasps when she spun around and threw herself onto Quenten's back. With a mighty grunt, she wound her leg back, preparing to drive her foot into her rival's temple with all of her restored power, but as she struck, a chill stole through her when she suddenly found herself staring into Quenten's eyes and felt something wrap tightly around her ankle before she could make contact.

_"Oh quiznak!"_

Next thing she knew, pain erupted from Klara back as she was repeated dashed against the floor before being thrown halfway across the arena, the hissing of the crowd mixing with her own groans and whimpers as she struggled to push herself up. Just as she managed to raise herself up onto her knees, she felt Quenten's furry yet cold fingers clamp around her throat before she was roughly jerked up into the air, her breaths coming out as wet sputters as his palm pressed her windpipe almost completely flat. For the first time since she had entered that room, the crowd fell totally silent, their eyes glued on the two captains as Klara dangled from Quenten's paw, her nails digging into his flesh as she struggled to tear herself free while Quenten looked on, his face practically glowing with a look of twisted amusement.

"Did you really believe you would be able to beat me? Your level of sheer stupidity is truly greater than I ever imagined." he crowed mockingly while exaggeratedly dragging his tongue over his top lip and fangs. Bringing her closer to his face, he lifted her ear to his lips before continuing in a soft whisper, "It's time for you to pay up, little one. Don't worry, your lover will not have to endure the pain of your death long before he is able to join; unlike you, I am aware of the dangers of keeping him alive and will not take such the same risks you did. Now, why don't you give me one last cry as a parting gift?"

"V-Victory...or death..."

"What was that?"

"I s-said...victory or death. That is the Galra way...."

Quenten's brow wrinkled slightly as his excited sneer dropped off of his face. "It would seem that I hit you against the ground a tad too hard and broke you early. Oh well, killing you will still be somewhat satisfactory even if you're not groveling at my feet for your life."

"The only person who...who will be doing any groveling.....is you...."

Faster than a bullet, Klara suddenly kicked both legs upwards, one foot slamming into Quenten's throat while the other rammed into his sternum with a satisfying crack. Quenten released as sharp wail of pain as he released the Lepidoptan from his grip, allowing her to drop to the floor as his hands flew the cradle the points of impact, his stance staggering as a result of the unexpected pain. Klara's work from there was quick: within the blink of an eye, she struck the pressure points of his arms, rendering them temporarily useless as they were overwhelmed by stabbing numbness, and swept his legs out from under him, sending him to the floor with a tremorous thud. Gasps momentarily echoed throughout the auditorium and then everything became quiet again minus the faint, humble whimpers echoing from the once proud captain and the tapping of Klara's shoes against the floor as she sidled up alongside of him and and placed on foot on his head in a position ironically similar to that of a hunter who was posing for a picture with a twice as large prey. However, just as she raised up her heel in order to drive it into Quenten's temple to knock him out, Zypher's stark voice pierced through the air.

"That's enough! Move away from the captain and place your hands behind your head, or I'll slits their throats."

Klara's stomach dropped when she noticed who "they" were. Knelt in a row towards the back of the auditorium, each with a knife positioned at their throat and one of the Irisauri standing behind them while Zypher stood not far off to their left, were Zetherid, Narti, and Ezor. Lotor's grin immediately disappeared, as did any other grin in the room, and a few uneasy murmurs rippled throughout the crowd. Meanwhile, Quenten managed to raise himself up onto his elbow and shot his right hand as hot of a glare as he could manage through his pain.

"Zypher, do not intervene! This is my battle! You're destroying whatever credibility I have left!!" he growled but all ignored him, their attention fixed on something far more exciting than the bested Cathailan.

"Then I will give whatever it takes to restore your credibility, my captain, but I cannot allow this to go on any longer." Zypher hissed, her eyes no more than sparkling slits as she scowled down at Klara, who had yet to move. "I said get on your knees, wench, or these three will spend their last moments of life choking on their own blood!"

Klara was completely frozen, not even her heart daring to beat for fear that it would somehow set Zypher off. Her attachment to Lotor's posse was weak if not nonexistent, but as she stared up at them, the Irisauri's blades sparkling wickedly in the hands of their wielders, she soon found her knees pressing against the cool metal of the floor as her lips pursed together to form a tight line. She had expected one of the Irisauri to interfere, but somewhere deep down inside her, she had already believed that the generals had managed to evade capture, no doubt a byproduct of Lotor's constant reassurance of their capabilities over the past few quintents, so seeing them bound at the feet Sekh, Xaws, and Blipp left a hollow aching in her chest. Despite all her hard work, despite her patience and perseverance, despite everything that had been done, it all still ended in failure.

"Very good. Kolaq, Pitham, escort the captain to the medical wing! Acai and Ciaa, grab the prince and bring him into the ring." Zypher barked, her fingers gliding along the hilt of one of the khopeshes strapped to her thigh so she could unsheath it at a moment's notice.

The figures of Pitham and Kolaq scurried silently onto the arena floor, their heads bowed and their arms tucked within the folds of their cloaks. Klara's brow wrinkled slightly when she noticed that particular detail, particularly because she did not recall seeing the duo sporting their cloaks when they had come to remove her chain at the beginning of the fight, and she also noticed that their hoods were up, preventing anyone from seeing their faces as they made their way over to the fallen captain, who currently was trying to push himself up onto all fours. As the duo came to flank alongside him, however, he paused just long enough to look up and the puzzlement on his face confirmed the hopeful suspicions lingering in the back of Klara's mind.

"You're not-"

Quenten was unable to finish before two blasters were thrust against his head, one positioned at each of his temples. The whirring of guns as they prepared to fire filled the air as several more identical blasters materialized in the crowd, several of each aiming either at Quenten, the Irisauri, or one of the captains of the other pirate factions or crews, each one held in a clawed hand decorated with the Galra's signature armor. Taking advantage of the confusion, Zetherid sharply threw her head back into Sekh's nose before grabbing his arm and throwing him over her shoulder, hurling him at Zypher just as she was was removing one of her blades from its hilt. Narti and Ezor hastily followed suit, hurling their handlers into the sea of pirates before whirling out the guns they had acquired and aiming them at Acai and Ciaa, who promptly released Lotor's arms before throwing up their own.

"Aw, look at their shocked faces, Zetherid! They actually thought they had the upper hand! How adorable." Ezor chirped in a mocking, singsongy tone, her bright eyes sparkling with delight. "Oh, if any of you are thinking about sacrificing your leaders and making a run for your ships, don't even bother. This base is currently surrounded by dozens of fighter ships and there are two cruisers on standby just outside the planet's atmosphere, all of which have been ordered to shoot down any aircrafts that attempt to leave this base before we give the signal. So in other words, surrender now if you know what's good for you."

A few mumbles briefly drifted through the air before being drowned out by the clatter of the pirates' various weapons being discarded on the floor and the shuffling of feet as the Galra herded them into groups. However, just as things looked like they were going to end easily, Quenten knocked the two Galra holding him to the ground and barreled towards Klara, tackling her to the floor as his fingers looped around her throat once more.

"Look at what you've done! Look at what you've done, you despicable little witch! You've condemned us all!" he spat angrily, his tone as corrosive as acid as he sprayed in her face. "You're as much of a coward as I thought, turning to the Galra for help! You are a disgrace to your family and a disgrace to our kind, you hear me?! A disgrace-"

All Klara saw was a flash of silver and the next thing she knew, Quenten lay motionless beside her on the ground, knocked out cold. As the two Galra responsible grabbed Quenten by his feet and proceeded to drag him towards the door, she slowly raised herself up into a sitting position, her stomach churning like the sea on a stormy night and her eyes fixed unwavering on him until he had disappeared into the hall. Shakily, she stood up to her full height, her hand pressing flat against her stomach as if that would somehow alleviate the intense nausea she felt, but her stomach refused to settle as Quenten's jarring accusations lingered in her ears like meddlesome phantoms, determined to taunt her till she was driven mad by their laughter.

_"He's wrong. I'm not a disgrace; none of this is my fault...though I am the one who technically started the feud by retaliating against Quenten....but what else was I supposed to do?! Was I to just let him continue to torment us?! No, none of this is my fault and I don't feel sorry for any of them......but this feud was between myself and Quenten and now innocents who had nothing to do with the actual quarrel itself all face enslavement because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time....most of them don't deserve this..."_

"Hello! Ezor to Klara! We're leaving now!"

Klara's eyes fluttered rapidly as the general's voice boomed in her ears, abruptly shattering her focus. Shooting the colorful Galra a glare, which she immediately responded to with a smug grin, the Lepidoptan silently slunk to Lotor's side and followed him out into the hall, Ezor, Narti, and Zetherid all following close behind.

"You did very well. Continuing your training may prove to be a wise investment." the prince stated after a long stretch of silence. When he received not even a grunt in response, Lotor allowed his eyes to fall to Klara's face, the corners of his lips curving downwards when he noticed the forlorn shadow that currently haunted her cerulean gems. "How are you feeling? You're not in any pain, are you? You did take a few hard hits."

"I'm fine." Klara mumbled, sounding more distracted than irritated as her gaze remained downcast, fixated on her feet.

Lotor's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he suddenly grabbed Klara's wrist before abruptly coming to a halt. "Girls, go ahead of us and make preparations for our departure. Klara and I are going to pay a visit to the medical bay."

Zetherid and Ezor shared a skeptical glance but said nothing before obediently scurrying after Narti, who had already continued to make her way down the hall as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Once their footfalls had completely faded away, Lotor spun Klara around so that she was facing him and waited patiently for her to raise her head and look at him.

"...Why did you send them away?"

"I figured you would be more willing to talk if it were just the two of us. Now, why are you dwelling on that's cretins words? You know full well that his claims are rubbish and were said only to spite you. You are not a disgrace; you defeated him fairly and he just couldn't accept that."

"That's not what I'm upset about." Klara retorted rather tartly as she crossed her arms and rested them protectively over her chest as she gnawed on the inside of her cheek. "Most of the people in that room were just bystanders who had nothing to do with the feud itself, but now they're prisoners of the Galra Empire even though they're innocent."

"I wouldn't exactly call them innocent."

The intensity of Klara's scowl told Lotor she was not amused by his attempt at a joke.

"I should've just ignored him instead of retaliating. I mean, what good did all of this fighting do? Did it bring back the crewmates I lost? Did it help me rediscover the trail of my father and grandfather's wings? No. All I have to show for this whole mess is a plethora of scars and a guilty conscience." she muttered, her nails digging into her skin till little indents began to form as she shook her head.

Lotor did not respond right away, his lips pursing as he momentarily became lost in thought.

"I cannot release those captured today without creating unrest amongst my own people, but I shall do what I can to make sure those who are undeserving of harsh punishment will be given more lenient sentences. Also, your troubles were hardly for naught."

Klara's brows pinched together to form a confused and somewhat doubtful expression. "What do you mean?"

"During your match with Quenten, Blipp briefly assisted Acai and Ciaa with ensuring I remained in check in the stands, and during that time he asked me to tell you, assuming that the fight went in your favor, that he continued tracking the traders currently in possession of your father and grandfather's wings and their most recent stop was the planet Taddan. My guess is this was his attempt at an apology for betraying you and the other members of your crew." Lotor explained, a smile creeping steadily across his face as he watched her face light up and a warm buzzing spread throughout his chest. However, much to his confusion and dismay, Klara deflated almost as quickly as she had perked up, her eyes once again adopting a disheartened glossiness. "You're still upset. Is this not good news?"

"Lotor, when am I going to be able to go to Taddan and look for them? I'm your servant and a prisoner of the Galra Empire; I no longer have the liberty to go where I please. I can't go and get them back." she responded while shifting her weight from one leg to another, her voice having grown somewhat hoarse as she reached up to flick away what Lotor assumed was a tear from her eye. Unfortunately, she didn't do a very good job for the prince quickly spotted another crystal droplet weaving down her face and without so much as a second thought or hint of hesitation, he reached over and gently brushed it away, inadvertently caressing Klara's cheek in the process.

"You really think I would tell you this if I didn't plan on letting you go and retrieve them? I'm not that cruel, my dear." he cooed, his fingers pressing against the bottom of her chin and turning her head upwards so he could look her in the eye.

"Why would you do that?" Klara whimpered earnestly, her glistening eyes reflecting curiosity and hope rather than suspicion as she stared up at him. Oddly enough, she hadn't complained yet about his hand still resting against her chin, her eyes fixed unwaveringly upon his face as she awaited his answer. However, that chance never came as the sound of approaching footsteps rang throughout the hall, signaling that their moment of privacy was over.

"Prince Lotor, Haggar is requesting an audience."

Lotor and Klara glanced at Axca as she loomed a few yards away. Upon noticing Lotor's hand cradling the Lepidoptan's chin, her nose crinkled with disdain and suspicion but she made no comment. Sighing, Lotor allowed his hand to drop to his side and offered Klara an apologetic smile.

"We'll discuss this more later." he crowed before turning to Acxa, and for a split second, his general could have sworn he almost looked annoyed with her but within the blink of an eye whatever she believed she saw was gone. "Was the ship retrieved from the ravine along with you?"

"Yes sir."

"And the parts?"

"I successfully extracted them before they could be noticed."

"Very good. I'm sure you already received medical attention upon your rescue but I would like you to be looked at again anyways; make your way to the medical bay with Klara and rest there until I send someone to retrieve you both."

"Yes sir."

With those words, the trio departed but Klara found herself glancing back at the prince as the distance between them shrank his form till he looked no larger than a young child, and after a moment, she stopped and called back to him.

"Prince Lotor!"

Lotor quickly halted and turned to face her. "Yes, Klara?"

Klara shuddered when she felt Acxa's stare piercing her back but continued nonetheless. "I...I would like to make a request."

Lotor's eyes shone with impish interest. "Go on."

"If you truly plan on doing as you said, then you will need someone to keep an eye on Taddan to ensure that the traders do not leave, correct?"

"Yes. Did you have someone in mind?"

"Alcayt and Blipp. I want this to be their punishment."

Lotor's eyes grinned along with his lips. "I'll see what I can do."

Again, the groups turned their backs to one another and set off along their own separate paths, but now, a small smile could be seen nestled upon Klara's lips, though she kept her head down in order to hide it from Acxa. However, despite the great joy that had bloomed inside of her, a dark, churning unease still rested in the pit of her stomach.

_"He is still your enemy. Remember that."_


	19. Chapter 19

"Probation?! For how long?!"

"The official agreement we came to was two phoebs but knowing the Haggar, she will likely continue to closely monitor us even after that. I would say we are looking at three phoebs of restricted movement ahead of us. I do not like it either but it is the best compromise that I could negotiate after our recent extended escapade, and it would be in our best interest to docilely comply with these conditions if we do not wish for our sentence to be extended."

Zetherid grumbled something not quite decipherable under her breath, the muscles of her arms visibly tensing as they lay crossed over her chest, while Ezor awkwardly shuffled her feet and Narti scratched behind Kova's ears as the cat sprawled across her shoulder, its hooded eyes seemingly staring at nothing as it was lulled into a semiconscious state. The only one who did not appear agitated was Acxa, but Lotor knew all too well that she was also displeased by the news even if her face did not show it.

"Sir, what about the project? Continuing to work on it while under surveillance would be quite risky." she stated bluntly, though the slight purse of her lips and the look in her eyes hinted that she already suspected Lotor's answer.

"The project will have to be put on hold for the time being. I've already arranged for the work crews to be sent back to the mothership in groups of varying sizes over the next movement or so as to not raise the witch's suspicions." he stated flatly before pressing his fist to his lips in thought. "This little blunder of ours is hardly ideal, but there are ways that we can manipulate the situation to our favor. If the witch insists upon monitoring us, I deem it only fair that we monitor her as well."

"What good would that do?" Ezor inquired skeptically.

"Learning her patterns and methods will provide us with a basis for how to proceed with our operations from here on out to help prevent an event like this from recurring. Likewise, she is sure to have closeted skeletons of her own that she wishes not to be brought to light, and their discovery could enable us to deter if not completely immobilize her. You will all have to be subtle with your investigations though; we do not need her suspicions roused further and if she discovers your actions I cannot guarantee that I will be able to protect you from her disciplinary measures."

"We understand, sir." Acxa stated dutifully as her fist found its way to her chest in salute, though brief glance she shared with her fellow generals did not go unnoticed by the prince.

"Good. You all recall the way I had you report your findings to me during our undercover operation in Kentuol two decaphoebs ago? You will use that same system to communicate with me now; I will leave it to the four of you to agree amongst yourselves upon the order in which you will visit me."

"Yes sir."

"That is all. You are dismissed."

Acxa, Zetherid, and Narti all gave a slight, respectful bow before promptly departing as they were told, but Ezor remained glued in place, her eyes fixated on Lotor as she waited for him to acknowledge her presence. Meeting her gaze, Lotor swiftly raised a single finger before she could explain herself and turned expectantly to the open doorway of his private meeting hall, waiting in patient silence for several ticks before speaking.

"Are you going to come in or are you content with lurking by the door?"

Ezor's attention immediately snapped to the door as well, her eyes scouring the shadows for whoever Lotor was talking to and her brows immediately wrinkling when she saw no one. Similarly, Lotor's lips curved downwards ever so slightly as he stared at vacant threshold; had his assumption been incorrect?

"There's no point in continuing to hide if I already know you're there. You might as well come out and join us." he called out again in a second attempt to draw the eavesdropper out, silently speculating as to whether or not his accusation was the result of paranoia rather than intuition, and to his relief, Klara withdrew from the embrace of the shadows only moments later and silently approached him, eyes down as she scolded herself for her sloppiness.

" _That was almost embarrassing._ " he thought to himself as he waited for Klara to come close enough and then cleared his throat, his voice adopting a certain sternness as he stared down at her. "How much did you overhear?"

"Everything." Klara replied bluntly, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

"And I assume you have concerns regarding the retrieval of your father's and grandfather's wings from Taddan, yes?" Lotor continued calmly, ignoring the questioning glance Ezor shot him as she stood quietly observing off to the side and waited for her own turn to speak.

This time Klara could only nod as she choked on her own anxiety.

"You needn't worry. I've already sent two trusted operatives on their way to an outpost we have on one of Taddan's neighboring planets with orders to watch the dealers and follow them should they decide to move. Once our probation is lifted, we will know exactly where they are and shall retrieve the wings without any further delay." the prince purred, placing some extra emphasis on 'trusted operatives' with hopes that the Lepidoptan would catch what he was implying. A grin danced just behind his lips when he noticed the tension in her shoulders release, but he kept it concealed and carried on with his explanation, Ezor's presence reminding him that he had other duties to attend to. "However, do not bother to relax; you still have your own work ahead of you for the next few phoebs. Starting tomorrow, you shall begin training with me in all aspects of combat for several vargas each quintent, so I advise that you rest as much as possible tonight. If all goes well, you will be on the the same level of efficiency as one of my generals by the time this is all over. Now, if that is all you needed, please feel free to take your leave. I will have someone else attend to your daily duties today while you prepare for what is to come."

"Yes Lotor."

Lotor's gaze never wavered from Klara until she had quietly scurried out of the room and disappeared into the hall, and once she was gone, his attention immediately shifted to Ezor, who stared back up at him with eyes clouded by ambivalence. "Now, what is it, Ezor?"

The polychromatic general didn't speak right away, and Lotor could practically see the gears in her head turning as her lips pursed together, forming an analytical pout as she pondered in silence for a moment before seeming coming to a conclusion and approaching him. Burying her hand into a hidden pocket under the chestplate of her armor, she withdrew a small, five-sided, golden plate with a combination of foreign letters etched on the front and handed it to the prince, who lightly turned the medal over in his palm.

"Good, you found it. I'm assuming you've brought it to me because you've discovered something?" Lotor mused as he grasped the badge between his middle and forefinger and held it up to the light, his eyes skimming over its now dull, chipped surface which was still caked in grime despite obvious efforts to clean it.

"Yeah. I missed it during my initial inspection, but when I was polishing it up, I noticed a series of almost microscopic marks running parallel to the pin attached to the back. I didn't think much of it at first and figured that they were just more chips in the surface, but I decided to take a closer look anyways and that's when I noticed there was a pattern to the markings. I had the combination running through several basic decoding programs while we were gone but none of them could decipher the meaning, so I was hoping you would have some ideas of what kind of encryption this is." Ezor explained, pointing to the aforementioned collection of notches as they caught the light of the room.

Bringing the medal closer to his face, Lotor skimmed over each individual nick with much scrutiny, releasing the occasional hum or hah as Ezor bounced anxiously on the balls of her feet.

"I do not recognize it. More than likely, this code is something created from scratch and known exclusively by the crew-"

"-meaning it's uncrackable unless we get one of them to talk." Ezor moaned woefully while her shoulders sagged, some invisible force weighing them down.

"Not necessarily. There might be something aboard their ship that will enable us to crack it; start by checking its main servers and if you find nothing there then move on to whatever physical records we confiscated from it. Deciphering it that way may take a while, yes, but it would seem that you have some time. Also, if simultaneously working on this and gathering information on the witch at any point becomes too much for you, I would be more than willing to pull you to work exclusively on decoding the message so do not hesitate to ask." Lotor reassured her, returning the badge to her hand before rising from his seat. "Now, if you'll please excuse me, I have some training regimens to draft up. Keep me updated on your progress and make sure Haggar does not catch wind of what you are working on either."

"Got it."

Lotor's brow wrinkled slightly as Ezor's response rang in his ears, her tone of voice betraying her lack of focus. Glancing over at her, he noted her brows and nose had crinkled once again and her eyes, though fixed on the medallion in her hand, bore a gleam of distance as she retreated deep into the folds of her mind once again.

"Is something else bothering you, Ezor?"

_"This is your chance! Say something!"_

"...I'm just glad to have you back, sir."

Lotor could see through that lie easier than clean glass. He knew full well what was truly bothering her, but rather than press her, he offered her a soft smile and placed a consoling hand on her shoulder, compelling her to meet his gaze. "I owe that to you and your sisters. If you all had not come at precisely that moment with a plan already in motion....well, Klara and I would have found ourselves in quite the tough spot. It just shows that I can always put my trust in the four of you."

Ezor's stomach lurched as painfully large serving of guilt was suddenly deposited in her gut, but she managed to offer Lotor a somewhat convincing grin in return. Not wishing to inconvenience her prince any further, she executed a hasty bow and then scuttled from the room, stashing away her grinning mask only when she was certain that she was beyond Lotor's sights.

 _"He has to have some sort of plan. It's the only thing that makes sense."_ she told herself as she shuffled along down the hall, ignoring the grumbling of two soldiers as she walked directly between them. _"I mean, he has to have some ulterior reason for letting Klara retrieve the wings, right? Right. He knows what he's doing; I just have to trust him."_

Despite her reassurances, Ezor's shoulders still felt heavy, leading her to give them an abrupt shake in a vain attempt to throw off whatever weight they carried. Wishing to distract herself from the nagging doubt still nibbling at the corner of her stomach, she glanced down at Coban's medal in her hand, passing it back and forth between her palms while the purple light around her glided across it, and within moments, she was blindsided by the realization of the amount of tedious work that she would be doing over the next few phoebs, the force of the blow leaving her hunched over and groaning like a young pupil on the first day back to school after a long break. In other words, she was not looking forward to it.

——————————

_Three phoebs later...._

The chill that randomly slithered down his spine should have been a warning to Lotor. He should've sensed its presence, something ominous, something terrifying, something ancient, but he paid the signs no mind, his attention focused solely on Klara as she barreled straight toward him him with a shrill war cry.

"You insult me, Klara. Surely you do not think such a meager attack capable of doing me in?" he taunted her jovially whilst banking to the left to avoid the path of her fist. "You couldn't be tiring already, could you?"

"You wish!" Klara scoffed back before shifting her weight onto her back leg and twirling around in a roundhouse kick, her foot coming within a couple inches of Lotor's head before he caught her by the ankle. The move fazed her slightly but she countered it almost instantaneously by springing into the air and delivering a sharp punt to his gut, wrenching herself free from his grasp as he stumbled backward. Before he could recover his balance, she charged at him again and, using his bent knee as a foothold, swung onto his shoulders, her legs coiling tightly around his neck as her momentum dragged both of them to the ground.

"I think...this is the point where you surrender..." she grunted in a strained voice as she forced her muscles to remain constricted so he couldn't escape her grasp, though she made sure her grip was still loose enough to enable him to breathe with only a little bit of struggling.

"So...soon?....The fun....has only...just begun,...has it not?" Lotor rasped as he pushed on her thighs, trying to get them over his head. Despite his current position, he was smiling from ear to ear as he gazed fondly up at Klara, a spark of pride gleaming in his blueish purple irises, but his grin evaporated without a trace like the morning fog a a familiar, grating voice shattered peaceful, somewhat intimate atmosphere of the room.

"You! Release the Emperor Pro Tem this instant! Guards!"

Klara's eyes darted upwards to see a wrinkled hag of a Galra looming in the doorway of Lotor's private training room, her red and gold eyes boring holes into the Lepidoptan's skull as down sentries rounded the corner. As they advanced towards her, she hastily scrambled off of the prince but the robots still seized her and forced her to her knees as the old crone strutted over to her, already armed with her favorite switch that made one's skin crawl just looking at it. Fortunately for Klara though, Lotor quickly threw himself between her and the woman, shielding her from the latter's scalding gaze.

"Dayak, this is... _unexpected_. You are looking quite well. To what do I owe the pleasure of this surprise visit?" he purred with a forced smile, a single driblet of sweat slithering down the back of his neck before taking shelter from Dayak's stare under his collar.

Dayak's steep frown did not waver as her long, pointed nose that gave her the likeness of a shark crinkled slightly.

"So the rumors are true; you have taken a non Galra bride." she clucked sourly, shooting Klara a look of disdain over Lotor's shoulder. After a momentary pause, she slowly turned to Lotor, and both Klara and the sentries jumped as a loud crack sounded throughout the room while Lotor stared at his former governess with a look of surprise, one hand gently cradling his cheek as it throbbed from the touch of Dayak's switch.

"I do not care whether you marry outside of our people, but I will not tolerate you being careless about whom you choose! You are lucky I arrived before this seductress could finish you off like as planned! I am disappointed, Lotor; I know I taught you better!"

Lotor did not respond to the hag's accusations right away, only staring unblinking at her as he tried to find his words, and when he did finally speak, his voice sounded unnaturally stiff. "Dayak....I believe there has been a misunderstanding here. While it is true that Klara and I are technically engaged according to the laws of her people, in reality our relationship is nothing more than an insurance of their membership and loyalty to the Galra Empire and she is merely my attendant. As for what you just saw just now, I have been training Klara in the ways of the Galra so that she can be of better service to myself and my people. I promise you, there is no foul play here."

Dayak's eyes narrowed into slivers of yellow light as she glanced at Klara once again, scanning the girl from head to toe, and the Lepidoptan swore her heart flatlined for a straight dobash as she wondered whether or not the elderly Galra see straight through her.

"If that is the case then you should have summoned me. It is not the place of the emperor to watch and train his servant; he should be overseeing invasions and plotting attacks. I shall take this from here." she stated flatly before brushing past Lotor and glaring pointedly at the two sentries, who went rigid under her gaze despite being robotic and therefore devoid of all feeling and emotion. "You two, take her to the spare living quarters on the eleventh floor; I'll be rooming there for the duration of my stay. Hurry now! We have inconvenienced the emeror pro tem for long enough!"

The two robots stalled for a tick or so but they were soon dragging Klara from the training room as she stared helplessly at Lotor.

"Dayak, I appreciate your concern but this truly is not necessary-" he tried to argue but his voice left him when he caught the eye of the governess.

"I am doing this for your own good, Lotor. I do not trust that woman, whether she is your bride or you maid. If she has any ill intent towards you then I shall force it out of her, and if she does not then my training will ensure she appears and behaves like a proper Galra that will not bring further disgrace to your name. Now, if my lord will permit me, I must take my leave; the girl's training must begin immediately."

"Y-Yes...yes, of course. You are dismissed." Lotor said distractedly, blinking rapidly to clear away the fog shrouding his mind.

Dayak gave a slight bow and raised her fist to her chest in salute. "Vrepit sa."

"Vrepit sa..."

Lotor barely heard the clicking of Dayak's boots as she swiftly exited the training room, leaving him in solitary silence as he stared blankly at the open doorway. However, he was swiftly shaken from his daze by Zetherid's thundering footsteps as she barreled into the room.

"Sir....Mistress Dayak has come to see you...." she panted tiredly as she hunched over where she stood.

Lotor's face contorted into an unamused frown. "You're rather late, Zetherid...." 


	20. Chapter 20

The two didn't compare. Metal and wiring was nothing like flesh and blood. Computers and codes were weak supplements for thought and emotion. Machines were cold and calculating; she was erratic and passionate. She kept him on his toes, and the gleam in her eyes during their spars to him rivaled the glow of the stars. Sparring with sentries was a bore; he wanted to fight her again.

_"But then you'll have to retrieve her from Dayak."_

Lotor shuddered as that thought crossed his mind, the sting of phantom lashes from his governess's switch stretching across his rear. Sighing forlornly, he ducked to the side to avoid one of the sentries as it rushed him before raising his hand to signal for the three robots to stop. As soon as they froze and assumed a stance of attention, he jammed his sword into the floor and made his way over to the bench nearest to the door of the room, where a towel and canteen of water sat waiting for him. Snatching up the two items, he threw the towel over his shoulder and unscrewed the top of the bottle, but just as he brought to his lips, he stopped short and glanced over his shoulder to see the sentries all watching him expectantly.

"Leave me." he clucked with a hint of annoyance before taking a long draught from the canteen and easing himself down onto the bench with a grunt, his eyes sliding closed while his mind detached itself from his body and wandered off on its own, wandered off to where he _wanted_ to be. He could practically feel Klara's warm breath curling over his skin as her heavy pants echoed in his ears, her stare of cerulean fire sending a tingle up his spine as his muscles strained against hers. He yearned for the cool gusts that her wings had sent washing over him whenever she had taken to the air above his head and for the sharp, invigorating jolt that had coursed through him whenever she had caught him by surprise by doing something unexpected. Oddly enough, he even longed to for her choice insults and sarcastic remarks, or rather he longed to hear the voice behind them. Fighting the sentries left Lotor feeling dissatisfied for they could not even come close to mimicking the liviness of his matches with Klara, which over the past several movements he had come to greatly enjoy. It seemed silly even to him, but even though it had only been around two quintents since Dayak's arrival, he already missed Klara's companionship.

"Huh, I thought it was too quiet in here. Tired of sparring with the sentries already?"

Lotor's eyes slowly flicked open as he turned towards the sound of Ezor's voice and he quickly discovered her looming beside him, a small smirk lining her lips as she stared down at him.

"Our engineers are gifted at their craft but their machines still lack the level of spirit that makes a fight enjoyable." he remarked dully while rising to his feet. "I assume you are here because you have news regarding your progress with the encryption on the medal?"

Suddenly, Ezor could no longer meet the prince's gaze and instead averted her eyes to the nearby wall, her hand meanwhile slipping into her pocket and removing a sheet of paper which she held out for him to taken. "...Not exactly. I finally managed to establish a key and translate the inscription, but all I got were a bunch of numbers that didn't make any sense when I tried decrypting them further. Maybe those symbols are just the badge number or something like that."

"No, there is significance to these numbers or else the pirates wouldn't have gone too such great trouble to conceal them." Lotor refuted as he took the paper and unfurled it, his eyes slowly scanning over the numbers Ezor had carefully draw. For several ticks, deafening silence clung to the air, broken only by the occasional anxious shuffling of his general's feet as she waited for him to make some kind of conclusion as he continued to stare at the page, and as he stared at the particularly large gap between two of the numbers in the sequence, it struck him.

"....Perhaps this isn't a message at all." he suddenly stated in a rather cryptic manner while raising his hand to thoughtfully cradle his chin. "In fact, it may be something much simpler than we thought..."

"You have an idea?" Ezor asked with a raised brow.

"Possibly. Do you have the medal with you?"

His general nodded before briskly fishing out the little badge and holding it out to him. Grasping it gingerly between his fingers, Lotor lifted it up to his face and stared scrutinizingly at the little series of marks meticulously etched into the metal of the ornament, and sure enough the gap was present there as well, resulting in the prompt elimination of any lingering doubt he had had regarding his suspicions.

"Ezor, go scrounge together a couple of marauder like disguises for us and then meet me at Klara's ship in the northern hanger. It seems you and I are going to be taking a little trip."

—————————

"....Is that it?"

Ezor's unenthusiastic response was understandable; the small, rust-colored, not totally spherical planetoid sitting before them was lackluster at best. Though its atmosphere was somewhat murky, the prince and general caught enough glimpses through the occasional gaps in the clouds of dust to observe that the floating rock's apparently desert terrain lacked any cluster of lights to signify a civilization; it fact, it seemed void of any signs of life as well as the resources necessary to sustain it.

"I guess those numbers weren't coordinates after all. Talk about a total bust; we didn't even get to fight anybody." she continued rather glumly, her hunched shoulders and slightly protruded bottom lip emphasizing her disappointment. Lotor, however, continued to stare at the rock with keen interest, his eyes narrowing slightly as his mind strained to deduce the connection between Coban's medal and this seemingly uninhabited world.

"Initial appearances can prove to be deceiving. We need to explore the surface first before making any kind of assessment." He eventually remarked.

"You really think we might find something down there?" Ezor asked with a doubtful frown.

"Pirates are a crafty bunch; assuming that things will be easy for us now that we've decoded the medal's inscription is naive, especially since there was already such great effort already put in place to conceal whatever is hidden here. Now, activate the ship's sonar system and have the weapon's system on standby: the welcoming committee may in fact be waiting for us just beneath the cloud cover."

"Why would there be a welcoming com....You meant that sarcastically, didn't you?"

Lotor merely smiled, not Ezor could that given that she was standing with her back to him. As the whirring of the necessary systems sent a quiet hum throughout the otherwise ominously silent deck, she eased the ship into a gentle descend, her breath unconsciously catching in her throat as the nose pierced through the top layer of copper haze. Slowly, the reddish orange vapors enveloped the entire ship, concealing it from view above and in turn the starry expanses of space from it. A few high pitched pings pierced the thick atmosphere and shortly after lines of blue and green light darted across the ship's massive windshield, which the dust had painted red, outlining shapes and structures that the fog had otherwise left them completely blind to. Using careful, precise movements, Ezor guided the ship along the illuminated path on the screen, veering away from the various outcroppings and jagged rocks that materialized before them at random intervals till they eventually discovered a spot of level ground that was just the right size for them to land. The silence lingered on for a few more ticks as the ship eased down to rest in the stretch of sand, but eventually, it became too much for Ezor to bear.

"....Well, I'm not seeing anything. Then again, that might be because of all the dust." she crowed with as much cheer as she could muster. However, her small spark quickly fizzled out when she noticed Lotor tucking his hair up into the oversized helmet she had retrieved from Haggar's collection of prisoners' confiscated articles along with the rest of the pieces for their disguises. "Wait, we're not actually going out into that, are we?"

"Well you just said yourself that we can't see much from in here. Come now, Ezor, where's your usual sense of adventure?" Lotor purred silkily in replied, the slight curvature of his lips only irking his general further.

"Probably somewhere without all this dust. You realize that it's going to take an eternity to clean out my pores if I go out there in these rags, right?"

"Well then, hopefully we can find you that fight you were looking forward to so much to make it worth your while."

After a little further prodding, Ezor eventually donned the large head scarf and goggles she had set aside for herself and followed Lotor out of the ship, though her folded arms ensured that her indignance was clear. Standing shoulder to shoulder so they wouldn't lose sight of each other, they quietly marched forward, the dust soon obscuring the ship from view behind them as they traveled furthered into its embrace. Everything looked the same as they trekked onward, their only senses of time and direction provided by the tablet embedded in Lotor's left armguard.

It felt like it had been both a dobash and a movement before Ezor finally felt that familiar sensation had been expecting, that warning crawlish feeling that told her a pair of foreign eyes were on them. Shooting a glance at Lotor, she noted the slight purse to his lips as he gazed down at the screen in an attempt to look oblivious; he sensed the new presence as well.

"So now what do we do?" she whispered just loud enough for him to hear over the groaning of the wind, keeping her head facing forward as to not rouse the suspicions of their onlooker.

"There is a series of maze-like rock formations about a league ahead; we'll lure him there and trap him." Lotor replied nonchalantly while raising his hand to tuck a stray strand of hair back into his helmet.

Ezor groaned quietly to herself at the thought of having to walk even farther into the dust storm than they already had but she nonetheless continued to trail after Lotor, her eyes occasionally flicking over her shoulder to see if she could catch a glimpse of their opponent.

Fortunately, time seemed to speed up now that the two had a precise destination in mind, and the pyres of twisting rock Lotor had mentioned soon came into view. Upon rounding the first bend, the prince suddenly grabbed Ezor's wrist and pulled her behind a nearby boulder, the pointer finger of his free hand pressing against his lips to signal her to be quiet. After a few ticks of crouching in wait, their ears just barely detected the sound of heavy footfalls on the gravel before a shadowy figure crossed in front of them, his face hidden behind a mask of his own. He stood at a standard height and seemed to be of decent build, but other than that he was hardly anything impressive and certainly not worth the vargas of pore cleansing that now awaited Ezor, a fact she made the prince quite aware of by shooting him a sour grimace. Shrugging off her stare, Lotor silently slipped back out onto the path, trailing just far enough behind their mysterious pursuer to remain out of earshot. Nonetheless, they had only walked about five yards before the man skidded to a halt and suddenly whipped around to face the prince, arm already wound back to deliver a powerful left hook, but before he could even lay a finger on him, the prince had already grabbed him by the wrist and jabbed his underarm, sending painful prickles racing throughout his arm. Without missing a beat, Lotor rammed his foot into the now disoriented man's gut, knocking him to the floor, and pressed his heel against his chest before he could scramble back up.

"Are you an inhabitant of this place?"

"Who the quiznak are you and why do you have the Lepidoptan's ship?!" the man snarled back as he wriggled wildly about beneath Lotor's foot.

"We are the newest inductees to Lady Klara's crew. Now who are you?"

"If you're really members of Klara's crew then why didn't you radio ahead to let us know you were coming?" the man replied skeptically.

"Our radio was damaged during an ambush by another band of marauders and we have yet to have it fixed. Now, who are you?"

For a moment, no answer came from the man, and when he spoke again, his voice was notably quieter. "I am Coule, Coban's son. Is that why you're here? Has something happened to my father?"

Instantly, the atmosphere around them changed from bitter tension to somber dread, heavy weights depositing on Lotor's shoulders as he was struck by sinking realization. Holding out his hand, he motioned for Ezor to come forward, his eyes never once wavering from Coule who stared silently back at him till he sensed her beside him, and as if she had read his mind, she silently dug the badge out of her pocket and placed it in his open palm. Stepping off of the boy so he could sit up, he knelt down so that they were eye to eye and delicately placed the trinket in his lap without a word, the silence only permeated by the howling of the wind. Slowly, Coule reached down and plucked the medal off of his leg, turning it over several times in his hand before eventually wrapping his trembling fist around this.

"...So he's dead?"

"You have my deepest condolences."

"...Why didn't Klara come and deliver this herself?"

"The Galra have placed a bounty on her head and the heads of those in her crew. Since we only joined recently and therefore have yet to be added to the Galra's wanted list, she deemed it safer to send us." Lotor replied. After a moment, he added. "Forgive me, but are you the only one here? Our orders were kept very brief and vague in case we were captured by the Galra."

Coule raised his head to stare at Lotor, a look that sent Ezor's stomach twisting in on itself.

"....We shouldn't stay out here much longer; the storm is only going to get worse the later it gets and these winds are more than capable of skewering someone on these rocks if they grow to their maximum strength. Come with me."

As her intestines wound themselves into another intricate knot, Ezor's eyes bounced uncertainly between Lotor and Coule while her hand slipped into the folds on her clothes to grasp hold of handle of the blaster she had brought along, just in case. However, Lotor merely extended his hand to Coule and helped him to his feet.

"Your hospitality is appreciated. Please lead the way." he crowed warmly. However, as soon as Coule's back was to him, he locked eyes with Ezor and extended his claws to convey a silent but obvious message: if he tried anything, if this turned out to be some sort of trick or trap, they would attack.

————————

"So he's....he's really dead?"

It hadn't been a trap, or at least it didn't seem like one. Gingerly accepting the small cloth that was offered to her by her daughter Tanya, Coban's widow raised it to her eyes and dabbed away at the large tears clustering in their corners. Lotor and Ezor, who sat opposite of the woman on the cave floor adorned with several different rugs to make it more homey, tried not to cringe as she honked into the handkerchief.

"We feel deeply for you, ma'am. I may have only known Coban for a short while, but I could tell he was a good man and an even greater warrior." Lotor crowed solemnly while bowing his head ever so slightly.

The woman released another unintelligible wail while being guided by her daughter to lean against her for support, the girl's hand gliding up and down her mother's back in an effort to comfort her while she struggled to keep her own tears at bay. Meanwhile, Coule sat silently next to his wife, Meesha, with his gaze fixated on the fire situated in the center of the floor, the flames seeming dull in comparison to the vengeful light that illuminated his dark eyes.

"He didn't deserve this...." he eventually muttered, his voice little more than a whisper but sharper than a double-edged sword. "He was a many of honor and compassion; he deserved to die of old age after living a full life, not by a Galra blade...."

"You're not helping, Coule." Tanya snapped sourly, shooting her brother a scowl while applying more pressure to the hand sliding up and down their mother's back as the older woman sniffled and hiccuped as quietly as she could into her daughter's shoulder. However, Coule ignored her entirely.

"Those savages can't get away with this; someone has to make sure that they pay for every life they have taken and for the heartache it brought each of their loved ones." he growled through clenched teeth, his hand slipping into his wife's and giving it a hard squeeze.

Meesha's brow creased worriedly. "What are you implying, Coule?"

"You know exactly what I'm implying."

"Coule, you can't be serious-!"

"I am. Besides, they'll need someone to fill his place now anyways; why shouldn't it be me?"

Meesha's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach and she hastily turned away from her husband, trying but failing to shield her eyes as her hot, fresh tears threatened to bubble over, but her distress did not go unnoticed.

"You're a fool." Lotor remarked bluntly, earning himself the attention of everyone in the room. "However, I suppose you should be extended some grace for your ignorance since you lack the experience required to attain the insight necessary to understand how poor of a decision your are making."

Silence blanketed the room.

"Does anyone understand what he just said?" Tanya eventually dared to wonder aloud.

Lotor suppressed his annoyance, lulling it back into a dormant state by reminding himself that Coule wasn't the only inexperienced one present, and started again, this time choosing his words a little more carefully to ensure that his terminology was more basic. "As someone who has experienced war firsthand, I can understand your father's motivations and inner thoughts better than civilians like yourselves."

"Your point?" Coule spat with flared nostrils, obvious irked by the statement due to its seeming arrogance.

"He would not want you to take his place; in fact, that is probably the furthest thing from what he would want. He fought so that those he loved would be free from the Galra, and even though he has passed on, it is likely that the Galra do not know of your existence, making at least somewhat free from them. If you go and join the fight, then his sacrifices and death are in vain. Fortunately even if you do not understand that and still insist upon picking up his mantle, Lady Klara does and would not allow you to join her ranks."

Coule's eyes narrowed into angry slits but he did not say anything, at least not until he had glanced around the room at the faces of his family and sat in contemplative silence for a moment.

"I want you to promise me something then...." he eventually hissed as his free hand curled into a tight fist.

Lotor's eyebrow naturally slid upwards into a questioning arch even though he knew that his face could not be seen. "And what is that?"

"You'll make sure that the Galra pay, no matter the cost."

"Coule!"

Ezor's shoulders visibly tensed as she stole a concerned glance at Lotor, who showed no visible signs of distress. However, when he spoke, she noticed there was a slight difference to his tone.

"You have my word."

\-------------------------------

Even though it had probably only taken a few varga for the storm to clear, Ezor was so excited to leave that she nearly hugged the ship's console as soon as they boarded. However, her momentary burst of relief soon fizzled out when she noticed the somewhat troubled look on Lotor's face once he had removed his helmet.

"I don't like that look. What's bothering you?" she frowned.

"It's nothing."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"....So, should we be worried?"

"About what?"

"Coule."

"Why should we be worried? He has no allies or weapons; what threat is he to us?"

"I guess you're right....You're sure nothing's bothering you?"

Lotor swallowed the sigh that bubbled in the back of his throat while he eased himself down onto the captain's chair and gave Ezor a nod. "I'm fine. Now, let us leave this place quickly; the longer we stay, the greater risk we put these people in. And Ezor-"

"Yeah?"

Lotor paused for a moment, causing Ezor to turn slightly and become locked in a gaze with him.

"Once we return, you are to destroy everything in regards to this and not speak of it again. From this moment forward, it does not exist."

Ezor's face displayed her surprise quite plainly with her slowed blinks and slightly ajar lips, but as soon as her brain recovered from its stall, she donned her usual smile, though it lacked some of its usual genuity, and replied in a cheery but hollow voice. "You got it. Now let's get out of here; dirt free space, here we come!"

Lotor didn't even crack a smile at Ezor's attempt at lightening the mood and instead eased himself further into the chair while his eyes slid closed and one of his hands came to rest on his churning stomach. Try as he might to blame his slight nausea on his abstinence from consuming any sustenance during their escapade, he knew all too well that his unease was not the result of hunger but something much worse, something he had once believed he or any other Galra could possibly suffer from: guilt. He could not quite place what exactly had led to the blooming of the annoying, inconvenient discomfort, but what he did know was that he hated the feeling and wanted it to stop. He had to make it stop. Eyes flickering open, he turned to the console embedded in one of the arms of the chair and hastily opened a communication channel, entering the proper code required to connect to the private line he had created long ago for himself and his generals. Within almost an instant. The call was answered and Lotor found himself face to face with Acxa's holographic twin.

"That was quick; it's almost like you were waiting for me to call." he crowed, quickly arranging his lips into a smug smirk before Acxa could notice something was off. "Have you kept an eye on the witch?"

"Yes sir. She has not left Zarkon's bedchamber since shortly after you left. We attempted to send Kova into the room through the vents to check on her, but there is some kind of magic barrier preventing anyone from getting in."

Lotor's expression darkened as he brought a finger to rest thoughtfully against his lips. "That is concerning....Where are the druids?"

"They are scattered about the command center attending to various duties."

"So whatever she is doing in there, she is acting alone."

"Yes sir."

Lotor's already restless stomach gave a violent churn. Something wasn't right.

"Continue to watch her and see if you can do anything about that barrier. I will join you once I've returned."

"Yes sir. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"What?"

"The pirate claiming he had information on the paladins of Voltron."

Cue another painful, guilty lurch of the prince's stomach. "No, we did not..."

Acxa grew silent for a moment, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on Lotor's face as she studied him. However, just as she looked like she was about to say something, the door behind her flew open to reveal a panicked, somewhat sweaty Klara, who dashed into the room and threw the door shut behind her with such gusto that Lotor momentarily forgot how sick he felt and started to chuckle.

"You look absolutely terrible. How is your training going?" he cooed tauntingly with smiling eyes.

"I would glare at you but it would take too much energy." Klara groaned as she leaned against the door for support, the cool metal feeling heavenly against her skin. "Was this woman really your governess? I might actually feel a bit of pity for you."

Acxa's nose wrinkled in disdain but Lotor only smiled.

"You could always go for the alternative option to training with her." he purred.

Klara stared at him in disbelief, her jaw hanging agape. "There's an alternative option? You only just telling me this now?! What is it?!"

"It's quite simple actually. If you want to get out of training with Dayak, you must duel her to the death."

The slight delay to Klara's reaction made it even funnier. "You quiznaking tease! That's not any better!"

Lotor laughed again. "Well, I suppose there is one _other_ option that might work..."

Klara's eyes narrowed. "You better not be messing with me..."

"And why would I do that?"

"Well, what is it?"

"If Dayak cannot find you, she can't exactly train you. Fortunately, I know exactly where you should hide. There a closet on the sixth floor that is used for storing the parts of old sentries till they can be recycled; she'll never find you there."

"...This is a trick. There's no way you're actually trying to help me."

"You wound me, my dear. Have I truly not earned your trust yet even after all we've been through? I understand the suffering you're enduring more than anyone. What reason would I have to trick you?"

"....Fine. Dayak has probably noticed my absence by now though which means she'll be looking for me."

"There is chute not to far from room that empties directly into the closet. However, you must be careful; I can attest from experience that falling all the way down is quite painful. Now go! Hurry!"

Acxa remained completely silent until Klara had left the room, her brows tightly scrunched together as mulled over the conversation that had just occurred. "Sir, I thought that closet was your favorite hiding spot as a child and Dayak always found you when you hid there."

"Hush, Acxa. You'll ruin the fun." Lotor chirped, the warm flame of mischief now burning in his chest and chased away the dark clouds of guilt that had been weighing him down.

His stomach gave a small twitch. Okay, maybe there was still a little guilt left.


	21. Chapter 21

The first thing Klara noticed upon being released from sleep's warm, safe embrace was how heavy her body felt as she lay sprawled on her stomach on top of her cot. Sure, she had been expecting to feel like death after all the extra exercises Dayak had forced her to do as punishment for running off, but this was less pain and stiffness and more just......heaviness, like some invisible weight had been laid on her back while she slept. Was Ezor camouflaging herself and perching on her back to mess with her? Why would she do that though? Sure, she had been on the receiving end of the somewhat childish general's boredom-induced pranks before, but this one just made no sense. Fortunately, before she could make anymore bizarre conclusions, Klara's memory sluggishly awoke along with the rest of her body and she remembered with an icy chill the brief conversation she had had with Lotor the day prior once she had finally stopped spitefully ignoring him.

_"Sleep well tonight, Klara; tomorrow, we leave for Taddan before the first change of the guard."_

Today was the day. Today was the day that she had spent the last several years of her life striving towards and dreaming about for even longer. Today was the day that every hardship, every risk, every sacrifice would be made worth it; today was the day that she brought her father and grandfather home and she felt....nothing. No emotions, positive or negative, obvious or subtle, overwhelming or controlled pulsed through her as she laid silently on her stomach, her eyes fixed on the wall across from her but not comprehending what it was. She felt nothing.

Hearing the hiss of the door as it opened and observing the shadow hemmed with purple light on the floor, Klara halfheartedly pried herself free from her mattress and turned to face whoever had come to fetch her, and she blinked in mild surprise when she found not Zetherid or Acxa standing in the doorway like she had been expecting but Lotor. She almost didn't recognize him without his armor, which had been swapped out for a padded, charcoal, tunic-like shirt, bluish gray pants, a belt lined with various bags and compartments, and a simple, sand-colored cloak, but once glance at his glittering eyes and smirking lips as he peered at her from within the shadow of his hood reassured her it was him.

"I know, I know, this color palette looks terrible on me, but I can't exactly show up on Taddan looking like my regular self without drawing unnecessary attention to all of us, now can I?" He jested as he approached her, but his smile soon wavered when he noticed her long expression. "Is something the matter?"

Words suddenly became a foreign concept that Klara's lips had no knowledge of, so she found herself instead averting her eyes to the ground with the hope that lack of an answer would encourage Lotor not to pry any further. However, to her dismay, her silent response prompted quite the opposite from the prince, who knelt down in front of her and guided her head up to look at him with the gentlest touch of his finger, and after carefully analyzing every feature of her face, his eyes softened with sympathy.

"I see...This is a lot for you to take in, isn't it? You probably aren't quite sure how to feel right now, are you?" he cooed softly, his fingers ghosting over her face as he brushed her bangs off to the side so that nothing was obstructing his view of her eyes, which at the moment were his only window into her emotions. Again, Klara did not provide any verbal reply, but one glance into her mesmerizing cerulean orbs confirmed Lotor's hypothesis. Gingerly taking one of her hands, which he now noticed were shaking ever so slightly, in his own, he gave it a comforting squeeze, a gesture which Klara eventually returned though her grip was somewhat tighter than his and eventually started to hurt a little, not that he ever thought to complain.

"I don't want to rush you, but I think the best way to help you get your bearings right now would be to prep for the mission just as you normally would. Does that sound alright? Can you do that for me?" He purred, his tone even and patient, and to his delight, Klara managed to nod in response this time. Slipping his hands beneath her elbows, he steadily helped her to her to her feet and then immediately rewove his fingers with hers, and for the first time, he noticed how small and soft her hands felt in his own, his thumb casually tracing one of the long, flowing marks on one of her fingers while he remained entirely oblivious to the growing flush of Klara's cheeks.

"I...I still don't understand..." she eventually managed to stutter, but her voice was so low and quiet that Lotor missed all but the last syllable of what she said as he lifted his eyes to her face.

"Hmm?"

"I still don't understand. Why go to this trouble? What reason do you have to do this? I mean, you don't get anything out of this. It just doesn't make any sense to me." Klara repeated, raising her voice slightly this time but still keeping it faint enough to prevent her words from escaping outside the cell.

Lotor's lips curved into an even broader smile than before, as if he found something about her question amusing, and for a moment Klara thought he might actually tell her what she wanted, but he instead turned and led her by the hand out into the hall, which felt eerily empty without the usual throng of soldiers and sentries milling about.

"The first guard change will occur in three quarters of a varga; we'll want to be gone by then. To save time, we'll have the mission briefing aboard the ship once we are on our way. I had Ezor acquire some armor for you wear as well as garments more suitable for Taddan's desert environment if you would like them; since we are not sure whether or not these black market traders are aware of your search for them, you going in disguise as well may not be a bad idea." He explained as he silently prayed that the abrupt subject change did not come across as obvious and suspicious as he thought. Fortunately for him, when he risked a quick glance back at her, it seemed she was still to preoccupied with trying to sort out her emotions to pay much attention to his unusual behavior. Releasing the breath he hadn't realized he was holding in the form of a purr rather than a sigh to preserve Klara's ignorance, he snapped his gaze back to in front of him but his attention remained elsewhere.

 _"Why am I doing this?"_ he pondered to himself. _"That is a good question indeed."_

\-------------------------

Finally it happened. For the first time that day, she felt something. Unfortunately, however, what she felt was not a positive sensation but rather a persistent nausea, a result of her stomach suddenly realizing its dream of becoming a professional contortionist and proceeding to stretch and bend itself into shapes that were both unnatural and uncomfortable. Just her luck.

Biting her lip in an attempt to mask one type of pain with another, she tried to distract herself by focusing on Lotor's face as he knelt beside her, his eyes fixated on the door of the craft shop Blipp had identified as the venue for the black market. Given that all three of the planet's suns had descended a few varga before, it was harder now for her to make out his face beneath the cloak's hood, but she could just make out the fine, angular curvatures of of his nose and jaw, the latter of which she could tell he was clenching quite firmly. At first, she feared that it was because he was growing impatient; after all, this stakeout had been going on since their arrival, which according to Taddanian time had been around late evening. However, before her worries could take too deep of a root, they were swept away by the massive yawn that Lotor hastily attempted to hide behind his hand, but Klara had seen it quite clearly and gave a soft snort that earned her Lotor's attention.

"What?" he asked, sounding somewhat defensive and puzzled.

"You yawned..." Klara chuckled.

"So? That's a normal thing for someone to do when he or she is tired."

"Yeah it is, but it doesn't seem very princely...or Galra-like. I would've thought that yawning was forbidden or something for you because it's a sign of fatigue or weakness."

One corner of Lotor's lip curved upwards slightly as he raised a single, incredulous brow, almost as if the two were connected by a string too thin for her to see. "That has got to be one of the most biased things I have ever heard."

Scoffing, Klara rolled her eyes and playfully slugged Lotor in the arm. "Really? And how many stereotypical remarks about pirates have you made exactly?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't, Your Royal Pompousness."

Lotor puffed out his cheeks in a fake pout before joining Klara in a chorus of quiet chuckling that eventually tapered off into even quieter panting as they caught their breath. Sighing, he turned his attention back to the street below them only to discover that not even the dust had stirred during the momentary episode of distraction, the stillness so well preserved that it was just as unsettling as it was boring. Apparently, Klara was feeling just as agitated by the stillness because she suddenly flopped down onto her back with a loud, dramatic moan.

"If you're going to be making all that noise, you might as well just start waving a brightly colored flag to let the traders know we're here." he scolded her, though his tone was more teasing that reprimanding.

"Whatever." Klara grumbled as she stared at the stars above, her eyes already busying themselves with making pictures out of the various sparkling clusters. The jovial atmosphere had allowed to momentarily forget her uneasiness, but now that it was gone, her symptoms seemed even worse than before in its absence. She couldn't shake the nagging dread that was currently wound around her spine, shaking it merciless and watching with delight as the tremors rippled outwards to the rest of her body. Something was going to go wrong; it had to. She was so close to achieving her goal, and yet so far they had encountered very few obstacles. It was too easy.

"Sir, we've got three guys leaving a butcher's shop on the eastern edge of the town. They're heading your way." Zetherid's voice suddenly crackled over the intercom, coaxing Klara to hurriedly sit up and return to her spot beside Lotor along the edge of the roof.

"Vermin hiding at a butcher's? How typical." Lotor crowed. "If we're lucky, one of these three will provide us with whatever basic data we need to get past the market's security and we can get inside."

"What, you getting cold?" Klara joked, attempting to rekindle the flame that been keeping her worries at bay but her words sounded half hearted at best to her own ears. Lotor didn't seem to notice though and replied with a sassy remark of his own.

"I'm not the one whose shivering."

Oh, how Klara wished that the cold was the source behind her tremblings.

"Sir, you're certain you don't want us to move closer to your position just in case?" Acxa chimed in with a hint of sourness in her voice, attempting to get the discussion back on topic. She still sounded about as happy as she had earlier upon learning that Klara was to be Lotor's partner during their raid, not that she had been trying to hide her distrust of the Lepidoptan up to that point.

"Yes. Stay where you are and report in anything you see. I shall inform you if we require any backup."

"Ooo, two more perps are heading your way now from the north! Something's definitely going on!" Ezor chirped in so lively a tone it made Klara somewhat envious of her seemingly boundless energy.

Lotor's armband made a quiet beeping noise, signaling that Narti had sent in her own report.

"No movement on the south side of the town, but that is to be expected given that the headquarters of the minor amount of lawful authority in this place is located there." Lotor read aloud at a contemplative pace, combing a stray strand of hair back behind his ear when he noticed it blowing in the wind. After taking a moment to allow his brain to add the new information to the mental model it had already constructed for him of the city, he gave his orders. "From here on out, all radio chatter is to go dead until I give the all clear. Emergencies are the only case of exception. Stand by and wait for further instruction."

"Yes sir."

Klara suddenly found herself having moderate difficulty breathing. The air felt sticky now, and rather than passing smoothly down her throat like it should have, it instead clung to the sides in spongy clumps that piled on top of one another till her windpipe had been reduced to about a quarter of its original size. Dizziness was beginning to overtake her as well, the product of her deficiency of air combining with the shakiness in her vision as she continued to tremble, and her ears were ringing with the sound of her own heavy, rapid heartbeat. It was all so overwhelming. She felt like she was going to burst at any moment but her tongue and lips had become locked in position, yet even if they hadn't it was unlikely that she would have been able to put into words the surging emotional monsoon that she was barely keeping contained at the moment. Still, she wished she could say something, do something, anything to release the pressure swelling up inside her before it became too much.

Suddenly, a soft but strong prickling sensation emanated from one of her forearms, followed by a faint warmth that her sensitive markings eagerly lapped up in order to chase away the chill that had set in. As his long, slender, gloved fingers wrapped around her hand, Klara glanced over to meet Lotor's gaze. Unlike her eyes, which swirled with a wild anxiety reflective of her current internal storminess, his radiated calming reassurance, their yellows seemingly glowing in the darkness with a light that reminded Klara of something safe and warm. He didn't need words to know how she was feeling, nor did he need them to help put her at ease as they sat there on the rooftop, the stars above acting as their only witnesses as they sat there for a long time. It wasn't until a flicker of movement in the street below caught Klara's eye that the tranquil, intimate connection between her and the prince broke as her attention was pulled away from him, the air still vibrating for a moment with the last traces of passionate buzz before settling back down again and officially ending the moment.

"There."

Lotor followed her eyes, glancing over his shoulder in search of whatever she had spotted, and soon he saw them as well: the trio of lowlifes Zetherid had reported in just moments earlier. At the sight of them, the warmth in his eyes evaporated and in its place appeared an icy, calculative callousness that had caused even his most valiant of opponents to stagger in their steps. Though she did not know it, Klara's own eyes had adopted a similar, relentless gleam as she watched the three unsuspecting miscreants make their way towards the closed door of the craft shop, and while her lips still shook slightly and her heart continued to hammer against the walls of her chest, the rest of the fog that had been clouding her mind slipped away like vapors carried off by the wind. This was the start of everything she had been working for, and she wasn't going to let anything get in her way now.

As she and Lotor watched in complete silence, one of the men from the group, a portly but surprisingly light-footed being, made his way to the door and knocked on it while his two companions remained huddled behind him. The door opened almost instantaneously, and a hulking, ogre-like creature with pointed ears, a tail with a few tufts of fur near the end, and hands so large they could crush the average skull with minimal effort lumbered out into the night air, his somewhat dull amber eyes flitting between each of the faces before him and then back to the first. With a low grunt, he threw out his hand as if he was expecting something, nearly hitting the stout man in the face since he was standing rather close to him, but the behemoth's claws missed him by a hair. Swallowing thickly in an attempt to calm himself after his close encounter, the portly man placed his upturned hand in the creature's own while simultaneously pulling up his sleeve, revealing a series of bold, impossibly black markings on his wrist. Stooping down, the creature hovered his nose just above the tattoo and took a slow, deep sniff, and after an almost thoughtful pause, he dropped the man's hand and shifted his attention to one of his comrades. The same procedure transpired with the two other members of the party, but after sniffing the wrist of the third man, who looked quite a bit younger than the other two, the creature's face changed and he released a guttural, growl-like noise the made the other go stiff, his orange skin turning a pale shade of peach as the beast's hand clamped down on his wrist. However, just as it appeared like something bad was going to happen, the first man started to chuckle and placed a hand on the guard's shoulder, diverting his attention from the boy.

"It's alright, Moxilous. The boy's a member, I promise. He's a newbie, ya see; just got tatted yesterday so that's why he smells funny. Let him on through!" the former crowed, his speech slurring somewhat despite the fact that he was completely sober.

The creature, Moxilous, gave another growl, but after giving the trembling youth a final, long look, he released his wrist, which the boy quickly snatched to his chest while continuing to watch the titan fearfully. Turning slowly, Moxilous slowly slunk back through the doorway of the craft shop, a baffling feat since the opening appeared to be about half of his size, and the trio swiftly followed suit, the door shutting behind them and the original stillness of the street resuming in their absence.

It wasn't until a few ticks later that Klara released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, as if setting it free too soon would cause Moxilous to suddenly appear before them, his hands already clamping around their throats before they could even cry out.

"Quiznak!..." she uttered softly, though the weight behind the words still hung heavy even at that volume.

"Indeed. Blipp reported that constant changes in security were common with this market, but I did not expect things to change within a quintent of his last report." Lotor muttered, brows pinching together as he cupped his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "I have heard of creatures like this one before, but my knowledge of them is limited."

"Well don't look at me because I've got nothing." Klara grunted. Chewing on her bottom lip, she anxiously began to clench and unclench her hands. "What do we do now?"

"I'm not sure. From what I could see, the markings did not appear overly complicated and would be easy to replicate. However, we have no one to vouch for us smelling like ink and something tells me this creature will be able to smell through any perfumes or smells we try to conceal the freshness of the tattoo with." Lotor replied, obviously just as troubled as she was.

Klara's nostrils flared in frustration. However, after her initial flare of anger died away, the gears in her mind slowly whirred to life, playing the scene that had just transpired over and over again in her head as she scrutinized over every little detail. She couldn't allow herself to he stopped here; there had to be something she could use.

"....I've got an idea." she said eventually.

Lotor raised one brow ever so slightly, having caught the faint cue of uncertainty in Klara's voice. "But?"

"We'll have to split up for now and meet up again once we're inside."

Lotor didn't respond right away, and for a moment, Klara feared if he was going to decline her proposal, deeming it too risky for one reason for another. However, to her surprise, Lotor's lips soon curved into a confident, trusting smile.

"This is your territory, not mine. You know how these people think and operate. Whatever plan you have, I will follow it." he crowed. "So, what is your call, my captain?"


	22. Chapter 22

To Klara's surprise, integrating herself with the two felons that Ezor had spotted was quite easy, and even more surprising was the fact that the two men weren't disgusting pigs like she had been expecting, speaking to her as an equal rather than excluding her from all conversation and eying her whenever they thought she wasn't looking. They were definitely somewhat naive given that they had bought her story so easily, but with a little guidance, both of them could prove to be great pirates. Perhaps, once she was free again, she would have to come back to this place to recruit them.

That thought caught her offguard, and although her compatriots didn't seem to notice, her steps momentarily faltered ever so slightly. It had been a long time since she had dreamed about escaping, with her mind being thoroughly consumed by her training and the desire to reach this day for the past few phoebs. Yes, it had always been lingering somewhere in the back of her mind, giving her the occasional nudge in the right direction, but she hadn't called it forward into the spotlight of her mind for quite a while. This realization left her suddenly feeling sick again as guilt grabbed hold of her already sore innards with its grubby hands and wound them into another series of intricate knots that was not at all comfortable for her, yet something inside her told her she deserved it for being so selfish. How could she forget her crew, the men and women who had stood alongside her through every raid and hardship, who were now prisoners of the Galra Empire as well because of that loyalty? How could she forget that some of them had died because they chose to trust her?! What kind of captain did that make her?

Wasn't this all part of the plan though? Wasn't she luring Lotor into trusting her by pretending to trust him first? Wasn't she doing all this for their sake and the retrieval of her father's and grandfather's wings was just an added bonus? At one time, she would've said yes without missing a heartbeat, but now, she followed her two new friends through the darkened streets of a rustic little town on Taddan, she wasn't quite sure. Perhaps Lotor wasn't the only person being appeased.

"Oi, Yvali. Yvali!"

Klara was so absorbed in her thoughts that she nearly missed the sound of her fake name being called, but the sensation of someone clasping hold of her shoulder was enough to override her system and jolt her back to reality, though on the down side she nearly spun around and punched the one who had touched her before quickly stopping herself as soon as her mind caught up with her.

"Sorry. Reflexes." she mumbled with a dash of artificial bashfulness that she hoped would alleviate any potential suspicions that she might have just roused from either of her escorts. Thankfully, neither of the two men seemed particularly bothered by her actions, and the one that had spooked her, a decent looking fellow with soft eyes and periwinkle skin speckled with sprays of freckles, even started to chuckle.

"No need to apologize, little _gugi_. It's just a part of running with this crowd." he purred warmly, the corner of his eyes crinkling slightly as he smiled at her. "However, it seems like you've got something on your mind, or are you just nervous about your first market?"

"It's a little bit of both, I guess. I just hope I can find what my boss is looking for." Klara lied, sheepishly tucking a strand of her bangs back behind her ear and wringing her hands to maintain the somewhat naive identity she had adopted for her guise. However, behind her perfectly practiced smile, she was internally berating herself for getting distracted and therefore leaving herself vulnerable like an amateur. She could scold herself for her selfishness later; right now, she needed to focus wholeheartedly on the task at hand.

"Tiren, quit it with yer yammerin'! You're going to get us caught if you keep gobbing like that!" the other felon growled lowly, shooting the pastel alien a warning glare.

Tiren rolled his eyes with a scoff. "Oh, buzz off, Sallum. So what if somebody hears us? It doesn't change squat. The coppers here are a bunch of klutzy, dim-witted twits and the folks here know that. Nobody's going to cause us any trouble."

"That doesn't mean you should be careless! Even if they aren't a threat, the feds can still cause trouble if they find the market and the hosts would have to change the location. Do you know what happened to the guy responsible for the last location change?" Sallum snapped, his yellowish green eyes darting warily between the many shadows dotting the vacant street, scouring each for even the faintest signs of life.

Tiren scoffed again. "Do you?"

"No. That's because he's still missing to this day. Now quit your squawking before you doom all three of us!"

Tiren shot Sallum a sour scowl but not another sound left his lips as he stalked silently alongside Klara, who was doing her best to appear only mildly disturbed by the warning when it reality it had made her stomach lurch. Suddenly, she was starting to doubt that her plan was truly as ingenious as she had originally thought, but it was already too late for in the blink of an eye she found herself standing before the familiar door of the craft shop with Sallum already raising his fist to its wooden face, her body going rigid as each knock reminded her of a nail being hammered into the lid of a coffin. With an eerie creak the door swung open, and she soon found herself bathing in the darkness of Moxilous' hulking shadow as his beady eyes, cold and merciless, peered down at her. Her feet began to move of their own accord but only a foot of space was generated between them before her back lightly collided Tiren's chest, smushing her wings slightly and causing her just enough discomfort to snap her out of the hypnotic haze she had entered upon meeting Moxilous' eyes. Tiren chuckled softly to himself and looped one arm around Klara to reassuringly clasp her shoulder, extinguishing any hopes she had of slipping away as she watched in silent terror as the terrific giant began to smell Sallum's arm.

"It's alright, Yvali; he shouldn't bite. Just show him your mark." he whispered in her ear while presenting his own upturned wrist to the terrifying beast before them in demonstration, not a trace of fear or even concern in his eyes as Moxilous's massive muzzle hovered over his skin and sniffed. He made it seem so easy.

Klara had been itching to check whether or not the dye Lotor had painstakingly painted on her skin had dried, but the fear of smudging it and therefore derailing her entire plan before she had even gotten to the door had kept her twitching fingers at bay, a course of action she deeply regretted now as she reluctantly copied Tiren and presented her arm to the guard. Moxilous' eyes lingered on her for a brief moment, sending a shiver throughout her entire body, before he slowly stooped down and took a long, deep snuff, and apparently that was all he needed for his eyes, now alight with untamed flames, snapped back to her face while a deep, feral growl permeated the night air. Yep, she was doomed.

"It's alright, Moxi. She smells funny because she's a newbie, that's all. Let her in." Tiren crowed in the same casual, carefree tone he used when talking to Klara and Sallum, as if he was chatting with an old friend and not a monstrosity that could surely obliterate him with little effort.

Moxilous did not move, nor did he release Klara's wrist, which he continued to squeeze so tightly that her fingers were beginning to change colors. After scowling suspiciously down at her for another tick or so, he brought one of the fingers of his free hand to his lips and licked it, and with a sinking feeling in her gut, Klara realized what he was about to do. Now she really regretted not checking if the tattoo had dried. She swore the beast could probably feel her pounding pulse as he brought his wetted finger to the top of the mark and dragged it downwards, and she was acutely aware of Tiren and Sallum's eyes as they watched the entire ordeal in complete silence, Tiren's expression somewhat fearful while Sallum's kindled his own spark of suspicion. However, even with the addition of the saliva, the ink on her arm did not smear or streak nor did any color accumulate on the tip of Moxilous' finger, so with a sullen grunt he released her from his grip and shuffled out of the way of the door. She was in the clear.

Klara did her best to maintain a leisurely pace as she scurried through the doorway with Tiren and Sallum trailing not too far behind, her head bowed low as to avoid any further eye contact with Moxilous. The dim hallway of sand-colored walls directly inside was rather tight, leaving both Tiren and Klara to speculate how a towering, broad-shouldered creature like Moxilous had managed to fit inside, but after about a dozen paces, the passageway opened up into a open, brightly lit room brimming with many people and such noise it was surprising that they hadn't heard it from outside. Various stalls were set up throughout the space with many interesting characters floating around each, some who appeared friendly enough while others looked ready to slice the throat of anyone who looked at him or her the wrong way. Equally as diverse vendors stood behind counters or on top of tables, waving their arms about as they called out to passersby in all the languages they knew with hopes to lure them in. If she ignored the bizarre and occasionally gruesome wears, Klara could almost convince herself that this was a regular market like some of the ones she had visited with her crew during some of their exploits, her crew....who were currently rotting in cells back on the Galra mothership while she stood around gawking.

"I suppose this is where we part ways then..." she crowed a little too cheerily as she twirled around on the balls of her feet to face Tiren and Sallum, though she was more interested in the cluster of people who Moxilous had just let in behind them, her eyes searching for the faintest glimpse of pale purple skin or a lock of white hair sticking out from beneath a hood. Unfortunately, she saw neither.

Tiren gave an amused short as he stared down at her with a hint of incredulousness decorating his face. "This is your first market though, isn't it? Won't you get lost without someone to show you around?"

Klara rolled her eyes while forcing the corners of her lips to twist upwards into a goodnatured grin to conceal her annoyance. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Besides, you both have your own items to look for; you certainly don't need me slowly you down."

"Well, maybe we can at least point you in the right direction; these stands are organized in a specific way you know. What is it that your boss is looking for?"

Klara froze, her face fixed in a slightly strained smile. What was she supposed to say? Sure, her theoretical boss could also be looking for the wings, but even in this kind of a crowd she had to be careful of who knew she was searching for something as controversial as body parts. Fortunately, Sallum suddenly jumped in a moment later.   
  


"She probably isn't at liberty to say. Based on my experiences, most big buyers or organizations that send people in to do their shopping for them prefer to keep their dealings secret, don't they lass?" he grunted, not even bothering to look Klara in the eye as he surveyed the shops in direct vicinity to them. "And like she said earlier, we have our own errands to run so let's get going. I'm one piece away from restoring that weird robot they found on that red planet in the X-9-Y system, and I won't let that grubby fingered Unilu get to it first so he can buy it and then triple the price for me. Come on!"

"You're such a weirdo, Sallum." Tiren grimaced before offering Klara an awkward wave goodbye. "Maybe we'll see each other again sometime."

The tension in Klara's face dissipated and a trace of genuine depth now complemented her smile. "Maybe. Good luck with your....robot."

"Tiren, hurry up! I swear if I lose this piece because you were too busy fawning over some girl, I'll-"

"Alright, alright! I'm coming! Calm down before you pop a vein, Sallum!"

As the rather comedic duo vanished into the throng of people, Klara finally allowed her smile to drop, tenderly massaging the muscles of her cheeks as they ached from their prolonged use while she studied the crowd around her

"They seemed nice."

She recognized his voice but the suddenness of his unexpected remark left her swinging; luckily, Lotor was able to catch her hand before it could harm him.

"When did you-?"

"I've been milling about between these first few stands for about half a varga after encountering a trio of lovely maidens who offered to escort me inside. Based off of the chatter I was able to pick up on while waiting for you, the wings are on display along with the other supposedly 'rare' items towards the back of the room." Lotor purred rather smugly while offering his hand to her. "It would be best if we make haste; it sounds like the wings have already earned a lot of attention, meaning others may have already set their sights on them. Then there is of course also the fact that the longer we stay, the greater our risk of being found out becomes."

Klara didn't need to be told twice. Snatching hold of his hand, she plowed wordlessly through the crowd, ignoring the dirty glares and grumbles sent her way by some of the other shoppers as she pulled the prince along behind her. The further into the building they ventured, the thicker the sea of bodies became, making it harder for them to wriggle through and thus slowing their progress. The air around Klara felt uncomfortably warm as she fought and pushed her way through, though whether it was due to the massive amounts of body heat radiating off of the crowd around her or just a side effect of her growing panic she wasn't sure. Lotor did his best to help her but in the end the two of them made more progress cutting through in single file than when attempting to walk side by side, so he allowed her to remain in the lead while he in turn attempted to gain the attention of those ahead of them with the hope that some of them would be decent enough to move out of the way. Like before, Klara could practically feel her pulse rippling throughout her entire being, and her laboured breathing mixed with the babbling of those around her sounded almost as loud as the panicked thoughts and doubts currently shouting for her to move faster and fight harder. Unknowingly, she began squeezing Lotor's hand, prompting him to look at her as his brow wrinkled with concern before gently squeezing back in an effort to silently reassure her. Given that she said nothing and her face remained fixed in an agitated scowl, however, he was unsure if she even noticed.

The stands at the very back of the market were much more elaborate and colorful than the others the prince and pirate had seen previously, giving them as very attractive and deceivingly friendly appearance since many of the items each one boasted could be considered unethical at the very least. Had she not felt sick already, the sight of so many detached, embalmed, and sometimes bloodstained appendages would have surely left thoroughly nauseated, but even so, she tried not to focus on the other items up for sale as she searched for a flash of familiar color down the line.

Suddenly, she felt Lotor's hand on her shoulder, yanking her to a stop as he brought his lips so close to her ear that she could feel his warm breath against her skin.

"There...Are those it?" he whispered while nodding in the direction in which he was looking.

Klara followed his eyes, and everything inside her went still. Her lungs shriveled into tiny clumps of flesh while her heart grew dense as a stone and dropped into the ruins of what was once her gut. Everything around her became dead silent and all feeling left her body. She could think. She couldn't breathe. She wanted to both believe and deny what stood before her, the words jumbling in her throat and leaving her unable to make any kind of noise at all.

There they were, each one hanging from a series of hooks on the wall like some kind of morbid trophy. They looked just like she remembered them, her grandfather's blueish violet wings looking somewhat small and frail in comparison to her father's enormous, warm purple ones; he had had a fantastic wingspan even for a Lepidoptan. Both pairs of wings shone as vibrantly as they had when they were first harvested, the result of expert preservation no doubt, not a wrinkle or tear could be seen even along the soft edges of the fairly delicate organic material. The only differences Klara noticed were the lack of blood, the strings linking each pair of wings together, and the basals, which had been filed down into smooth, neat stubs unlike when they had first been hacked off. It was obvious many of those who passed by slowed significantly in their steps, bewitched by the hauntingly beautiful display as the small spotlights aimed at the wings gave them an even more ethereal glow than they already had.

At last, she had found them.


	23. Chapter 23

The relief Klara felt was overwhelming. No, what she felt was rage. No, it was sickening horror. Her mind could not decide, so instead she merely felt nothing at all and just stood there staring at the wings in silence, lips parted ever so slightly and eyes so wide they nearly formed perfect circles.

"Klara, you're trembling..." Lotor whispered, his hand snaking down from her shoulder back to her palm, which dangled limply at her side. However, when he attempted to grab it, she sharply jerked away from his reach, much to his surprise.

"My plan was to grab them, fend off the sellers if needed, and run, but that isn't going to work with this many people." she said, her voice notably colder now which matched the newfound iciness in her stare as she eyed every face in the crowd with obvious disdain.

Had they been in any other situation than this one, Lotor would not have hesitated to tease her about speaking in such a way as it revealed her "true marauder colors", but for now he swallowed the incredibly large urge with some effort and instead occupied his mind with the task of constructing a strategy of his own.

"We could always pay for them like anyone else here would. We're less likely to get in trouble that way." He remarked while reaching into one of his pockets. "Fortunately for us, I thought it wise to grab some GAC before we left."

Klara was no longer listening; she had subconsciously tuned him out the moment he suggested they buy the wings. The thought of such a thing and the fact that he had said it so casually made her insides squirm, but he couldn't be blamed for his lack of understanding. While the lowlifes currently in possession of the wings may not themselves have have been involved in the deaths of her father and grandfather, it still felt wrong to more or less reward them by paying for something that did not belong to them in the first place. However, all her other options carried far more unnecessary risk than this one, and if she did not obtain the wings now, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't lose track of them again. She was so close now. She couldn't let that happen.

A sigh escaped her lips before she firmly set her jaw. She had made up her mind.

"Let's just make this quick." she grunted tartly before forcing her legs to move forward, to move towards the stand.

The man looming behind the counter of the stall was as shifty-looking as one would have expected, with a hood covering the top half of his face while the rest was concealed behind some kind of black and white mask. He did not raise his head to look at Klara and Lotor as they approached, nor did he in any way acknowledge their presence till Klara impatiently cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Can I help you?" he croaked in a warbled drawl; his muzzle was obviously equipped with some kind of voice modification mechanism, something not entirely uncommon amongst thieves and crooks. Even with their own kind, they knew caution was a better companion that "friends".

"Perhaps. Do those wings have a price?" Lotor purred with his signature, silver-tongued suave, adjusting his voice to a few octaves below its normal pitch just to be safe.

The man's fingers, which had been drumming in a staggered pattern against the wooden countertop before him, suddenly stilled for a moment but then soon resumed with their motion, now playing an entirely different tune.

"I'm afraid they are no longer for sale. I've already accepted a fairly generous offer, so now I'm merely holding onto them till the end of the night per the buyer's request." he crowed, his head turning in their direction ever so slightly but not enough for them to get a glimpse of anything beneath his hood.

Klara practically heard the crackling of her heart as it several jagged fissures crept across its surface, sending another pulse of pain and mixed emotions coursing throughout her body. However, her mind seemed to have grown used to the chaos and continued to race, examining the situation from every angle in search of some kind of solution.

"Are you sure? Closing a sale so early in the night isn't very wise; you may miss out on more substantial offers." she interjected, her voice surprising calm despite her current inner turmoil.

The vendor made a noise that sounded like a mix between a snort and a scoff. "You believe you can do better?"

"Maybe. How much were you offered?"

"More than a pair of.....humbly dressed scum like yourselves could afford."

One of Lotor's brows curved upwards into a perfect, somewhat cocky arch as the corners of his lips curled upwards slightly. "Is that so? That's quite presumptuous of you."

"You truly think you could give me a better offer?"

"Oh, I know I can."

"How much more are you willing to pay?"

 _"He's baiting him, seeing how much extra cash he can trick out of him."_ Klara thought to herself as her eyes darted from the vendor to Lotor, her lips pursed together in a slightly troubled pout. _"Lotor probably figured that out though; he isn't exactly stupid-"_

"I'll give you double of your current offer."

The vendor had no words, nor did Klara as she stared at the prince with disbelieving shock, her mouth hanging agape as gravity pulled at her now lead tongue. Lotor did not appear to be affected by either of their surprise and instead stared expectantly at the hooded man, his lips twisting from a grin to a thin, flat line as his eyes narrowed slightly with a hint of impatience.

"Well, do we have a deal or not?" he crowed.

A few more ticks of awkward silence lingered, but eventually the man seemed to regain control of his numb lips. "My other buyer will not be happy...."

"So you are declining then-"

"No!" The man blurted before her could stop himself. Realizing his mistake, he drew back for a moment to recollect himself and then continued in the same neutral tone he had been using before. "Would you like me to hold onto them for you two shop some more or-"

"We'll take them now." Klara responded sharply, her breathing staggering somewhat to match her irregular heartbeat.

"Very well. I just need to grab some tarp from the back to wrap them up so they don't tear."

"Thank you, but do it quickly please. We are on a tight schedule." Lotor chimed in, his smile having returned though it was more of a smirk now. In fact, he almost looked pleased with himself, much to Klara's bafflement.

"You realize you just got played, don't you? I thought you were supposed to be bright." she remarked rather flatly once the hooded figure had disappeared from sight and presumably from earshot also. "He never even told you how much he had already been offered; for all we know, he could have been bluffing and is now buying time in order to come up with some random price for you."

"I am aware of that, Klara. However, if we get what we need without a major fuss taking place then wouldn't you say playing dumb and paying a somewhat inflated price are worth it?" Lotor crowed as he eyed her over his shoulder, his lips still upturned in that irritating handsome smile of his. He was right in his assessment of course, but Klara was not going to be the one to admit that.

"This still doesn't felt right." she grumbled more to herself than to the prince, eyes downcast as her brows pressed together to form a troubled line.

"If you are talking about the money, you need not feel guilty. It is rather fitting actually: my people are the ones responsible for everything you have gone through so it only makes sense that I pay the price to finally lay it all to rest." Lotor crowed, his words sounding oddly poetic to his own ears as well as Klara's.

She felt like she should say something but she didn't know what. Scratch that, she knew but they were words she never thought she would be saying to a Galra. A small voice inside her begged, screamed for her to keep her lips shut, but the syllables were already dancing in anticipation on the tip of her tongue, ready to be heard.

"Lotor, thank y-"

Suddenly, something materialized between them, something Klara's mind later recognized as a large, heavy-duty cloth, and for a brief instant, the prince and the pirate were blocked from each other's view. In that moment, Klara felt a hand roughly slam into her sternum, forcing her back against the counter, and a second later, the icy touch of something metal caressed the skin of her throat as her attacker's fingers clamped down on the base of her neck to hold her in place. Without thinking, Klara immediately jerked her head backwards, hoping to disorient her attacker with a blow to the mouth and nose, but as her skull met the muzzle-like mask he wore with a dull thunk, the painful pulsing that stretched across the back her head told her that the it was made of some hard material she wouldn't be able to get through. When the cloth finally fluttered to the ground and Lotor could see again, his eyes immediately fell on the vendor and Klara, but when he tried to take a step towards them, the blade in the man's hand was immediately pressed harder against the flesh of the Lepidoptan's neck, rousing an involuntary squirm from her.

"Ah ah ah, _your highness_. Stay right where you are, or your lovely, exotic pet here might get hurt." the vendor cooed, his thumb tenderly caressing the blade of his knife in a subtle taunt. "I thought the old bat was crazy, talking about the Galra emperor and his mistress coming to a place like this, but here you are. I guess I don't have to feel bad about taking his money now."

Lotor's eyes narrowed, a cold and calculating gleam in them now. "Someone told you about us? Who?"

"I didn't ask; I just took his money and promised to stall you both till he got back."

As if on cue, several beings of similar build and dress emerged from the rippling sea of the crowd and slunk together to form a rough half circle around the stand. There had to be at least two or three dozen of them, all armed with an assortment of knives, blasters, or other weapons and their faces concealed behind identical black masks all decorated with what appeared to be an orange, four-point star with a large X running through the center, the ends of which each sported a triangle. The emblem looked vaguely familiar but the prince could not recall where in particular he had seen it before. However, his memory was soon jogged after a few ticks.

"Well that certainly didn't take very long. You're losing your touch, Klara, a consequence no doubt of the quintents you've spent sprawling across the laps of the Galra."

Klara's eyes grew as wide as full moons as Carlem pushed his way into semicircle, a lone figure at his side that differed from the other masked goons in several ways, most notably in height and body. However, at the moment he was of little concern to the Lepidoptan, whose attention was fixated on the smirking Unilu.

"This is insane...You're insane!" she spat, pungent acid practically dripping from her lips.

"People do crazy things for those they love. I mean, just look at you! You've abandoned you crew, men and women who placed their loyalty and trust in you, for the leader of the race responsible for those wings, wings that once belonged to members of your family, being strung up on a wall like a trophy!" Carlem sneered in response, eyes glittering with pure malice. "That, my dear, is what is truly insane."

"Shut up! You don't know anything! How did you even find us?!"

"That's a funny story, actually. Do you want to tell it, my boy, or shall I?" the Unilu croaked while craning his neck in order to glance at his companion, who up until that moment had remained entirely silent as he stared unwaveringly at Klara.

"I told him." he grunted flatly, his stinging resentment of the woman unmistakably obvious despite no one being able to see his face.

Carlem's grin drooped down into an annoyed scowl. "You're no fun."

Meanwhile, Klara's heart lurched against her ribcage when she heard that a voice, a voice that was painfully familiar. She didn't want to believe it was him, but she also couldn't deny it, not when she thought about it. He had all the right motives, motives which she could not hold against him. Still, she didn't want to believe it, but Lotor soon confirmed her tentative suspicions.

"This is disappointing, Alcayt. Klara was kind enough to plead for you to be given another chance and you've gone and thrown it away. How wasteful and utterly foolish." he crowed chidingly as he eyed the boy with a disapproving scowl.

"She did that because she felt guilty, not because she cared! I don't want her pity!" Alcayt fiercely barked back, refined hatred radiating off of him like heat as his hands clenched into trembling fists at his sides.

"What about Blipp? What did you do with him?!" Klara demanded, her voice wavering slightly against her will.

"Oh, he's fine for now. I mean, he might not stay that way depending on how his trial goes; apparently, he committed some kind of armed robbery a few days ago in a few towns over! I'm sure everything will work out though." Carlem jeered in a mocking, sing-song tone while shrugging his shoulders.

"You're horrible." Klara snarled.

"I try, but still nowhere near your level of cruelty, I'm afraid."

"Look, I don't mean to be rude, but could you guys finish this someplace else? I've still gotta sell these wings tonight or my boss isn't going to be happy." the vendor suddenly interjected, his voice a perfect blend of annoyance and flat out boredom as he continued to hold Klara fast.

"Ah yes, of course! Sorry, my boy. Alcayt, take the tramp off the hands of this kind man."

As the boy made his way towards her, Klara released a low, guttural growl much like that of a cornered animal, her back pressing against her captor's chest as she tried to preserve as much of the distance between them as possible.

"I will never forgive you for this, though I'm sure you hardly care at this point," she hissed bitterly, her fingers wrapping tightly around the edge of the counter as she pressed the heels of her hands flat against its top. "However, that doesn't mean I'm not sorry, for everything I've put you through or for this."

Alcayt didn't even have enough time to wrinkle his brow beneath his mask before Klara suddenly sprang into the air, her captor and the table supporting her weight as her legs flailed outwards in a wild flash of movement. While one foot nailed the traitor square in the sternum and sent him flying backwards, the over kicked his blaster free from its flimsy holster, sending it clattering to the ground. The vendor's grip on her slackened slightly from sheer surprise, and she took the opportunity to duck out of his hold grab his arm, twisting it till he dropped his blade. Retrieving both weapons, she pointed the gun at Carlem, who appeared oddly relaxed and was still sporting his impish smirk as he silently watched her.

"Alright, you sons of harlots, listen up! The prince and I are taking these wings and leaving, and you are not going to follow us or cause us any further trouble, got it?" she snapped, looking each of Carlem's men in the eye in turn as her finger hovered a hair's width away from the gun's trigger.

No one moved or said a word, not until Carlem suddenly busted out laughing so hard that he doubled over, two of his arms hugging his sides while the third rose up to wipe his eyes and the fourth reached for his own gun in unison with his underlings. Pursing her lips, Klara aimed at the ground directly between the Unilu's feet, but when she pulled the trigger to fire her warning shot, to her horror, nothing happened. She tried again; no blast. A third, fourth, and fifth time all in a consecutive row; nothing.

"It's a dud, my dear. I'm not stupid enough to give a working gun to a known double-crosser. However, I assure you that these other guns are all fully functioning, so be a good girl and get on the ground." Carlem purred. Glancing back at the prince, he added, "You too, boy."

Neither Klara nor Lotor made even the slightest effort to move. Thinking quickly, the Lepidoptan managed to catch Lotor's eye, and while he watched, she glanced back down and up again before suddenly winding back her arm and hurling the gun in his direction. Fortunately, Lotor seemed to understand her impromptu signal and ducked, the gun sailing harmlessly over his head, but the two Unilu directly behind him quickly followed suit as well.

"You missed." one of them sneered.

Now it was Klara's turn to smile. "I wasn't aiming for you."

Suddenly, a gigantic shadow stretched out over Carlem's crew, blanketing a few of his men in complete darkness. The one who had mocked Klara gave a very undignified squeal as he was suddenly plucked off of the ground by the back of his shirt and hoisted into the air, arms and legs flailing as he tried to wriggle free. However, he went still when he was brought face to face with the being holding him, a hulking, muscular creature with two large tusks that curled up over its gray, scaly top lip and midnight black horns that curled out of the back of its head and chin.

"Is this yours?" it snarled while holding up the phony gun, which now sported a few dents and scratches from being clenched in the creature's claws.

"Uh...It...I...uh...No?"

"It certainly looks like one of yours." the beast growled, pointing at the gun the Unilu had dropped in his fright. Leaning in close enough that the smaller alien could smell its hot, somewhat unpleasant breath huffing from its flared nostrils, it continued through gritted teeth, "You tryna to start something, punk?"

The boy's tongue could no longer move, turned to stone along with the rest of him by the brute's glare. After a moment of tense, awkward silence, Carlem sighed loudly and locked his only steely gaze with the creature's.

"Release him and go back to your business, sir. Our affairs are of no concern to you."

The creature bared his teeth fiercely. "I am a woman, thank you."

"Could've fooled me." Carlem muttered to himself.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing. Please, just put that man down and return to your shopping. Do not make me ask you a third time."

The creature's eyes narrowed angrily, but nonetheless, it discarded the boy without further argument. "Throw anything else at me and there will be trouble, menials."

"It won't happen again. Enjoy your evening!" Carlem crowed with artificial sweetness, raising a hand to even give the beast a wave goodbye. For a moment, it seemed as if that was going to be the end of it, but no sooner had the creature turned her back to them that Carlem was suddenly thrown forward by a force from behind, sending him colliding with the woman.

"You! You were playing me too! You're as bad as she is!" Alcayt screeched angrily, angrily tearing his mask off and hurling it at Carlem.

Carlem's face contorted into a angry glower, but before he could utter a word, he was suddenly sent flying again, this time crashing through the roof of one of the nearby stalls and landing on top of its dealer.

"What in Haalphist's six moons is wrong with you?! Look what you just did to my stall!" the latter roared as he pushed Carlem off of him and shot an accusing glare at the she-beast.

"Butt out of this, scammer! Besides, your wares were overpriced trash anyways!" she snapped back.

"The only trash I see here is you, ugly Brellek sow."

"Why you!"

With an angry roar, the Brellek threw Alcayt's fake gun, which she had continued to hold onto for some reason, straight at the angry vendor, who dove behind his counter to avoid being hit. The projectile instead smacked into the back of the skull of the salesman stationed directly behind him, who went tumbling forward into his counter and knocked the rare, antique vase he was currently trying to sell down onto the floor, where it shattered into a million, brightly-colored pieces.

"No! That vase was an original Pawlekai from the Saidul era! I don't know who hit me, but you're going to pay for that!"

"The Saidul era? You said it was from the Gomped era! You were trying to haggle me!"

As he watched the scene unfurling before him, Lotor was struck with understanding of what Klara had been trying to do, prompting his lips to curve upwards into a devious grin. Taking advantage of the two Unilu closest to him, he swept their legs out from under them and grabbed their guns, which he quickly hurled in a random direction before bolting out of the path of the Brellek as she charged at the dealer who had insulted her a moment earlier. With each passing moment, the chaos continued to grow as more shoppers and salesmen alike were dragged into the fighting for one reason or another. It was wild. It was insanity. It was the perfect distraction.

Not wanting to waste any more time than he already had, Lotor scanned the crowd for Klara, spotting her just as she ducked behind the counter of the stall where the wings still hung completely undisturbed. Ducking and weaving his way through arms, legs, debris, and bodies, he followed after her, soaring over the countertop with ease and then dropping down beside her.

"I'm impressed, Klara. That's quite the distraction you created out there. How did you know it would work?" he purred while pressing his back against the wood that was just barely sturdy enough to provide them from the madness ensuing on the other side.

"Brelleks are known to be very argumentative and short-tempered. I didn't really intend for things to escalate into a full blown brawl though." Klara admitted somewhat breathlessly, one hand resting against chest as she leaned on the other for support.

Lotor's brow furrowed worriedly when he heard the weariness in her voice. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine; it's just the adrenaline."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Let's just grab the wings and get out of here before something else tries to kill us. Cover me."

Grabbed the small stool that was tucked under the counter, Klara sprinted over to the wall and hurriedly jumped on top of it, carefully lifting one pair at a time off of the hooks holding them up and folding them together so they were easier to carry. Hot tears suddenly started to well in Klara's eyes as her fingertips brushed along the cold, stiff, lifeless appendages, but she hurriedly blinked them away and climbed down from the stool, cradling the wings to her chest to protect them.

"I've got them. Let's go!"

Lotor didn't need to be told twice. Hoisting higher into the air the countertop he had ripped loose to use as a shield, he trailed after her as she darted along the wall till they were towards the outskirts of the fighting and then banked hard to right. Neither of them slowed even a little as they raced through the winding maze of stalls, many of which were abandoned now, and after one final sharp turn, the door soon came into sight. However, there was only one problem: Moxilous was standing right in front of it, beady eyes fixated on the two as they ran straight towards him. Fortunately, Lotor quickly thought of a solution and sprang into the air while swinging the large slab of wood in his hands, slamming it into the guard's temple and rendering him temporarily disoriented so that the two of them to run past. Even as the cold air of early morning sank its teeth into their skin and clouds of sand flew up around their feet, they did not stop running until the doorway of the store had completely disappeared behind them.

Neither of them were able to talk at first when they finally came to a halt behind what the sign out front advertised to be a fruit market, their lungs screaming in their chests as they fought to catch their breaths. Once his throat and mouth no longer felt like a desert, Lotor activated the comlink in his armband and lifted it to his lips.

"Acxa, Ezor, Zetherid, Narti, do you all copy?"

"We copy, sir. Is something wrong?" came Acxa's stoic reply.

"Did you guys get the wings?" Ezor chimed in.

"No, we got them, but we now have a few additional pit stops to make in the nearby towns before returning to headquarters. Get to the ship and rendezvous with us at the city's eastern border."

"Yes sir."

Klara barely heard any of what was said, her teary eyes fixated on the wings resting in her lap, the wings as had spent so long searching for. Her mind was swirling mess now that she couldn't calm; she could only suppress it for now with the promise to release it later when she was alone. However, her inability to think left her frozen in place, completely tuned out from the rest of the world. She couldn't focus on anything else; if she allowed her attention to waver for even a second, she would lose control and then she would break. She didn't want anyone to see that, especially not a Galra. She couldn't control everything though, and before she knew it a pair of arms had curled tightly around her and pulled her against a sturdy frame.

"You did it, Klara. You got them back."

That did it. With a woeful shriek, the Lepidoptan buried her face into Lotor's chest, years of stress, pain, and hope gushing forth all at once in a torrent of messy, incoherent sobbing. Lotor said nothing as he held Klara's shaking body against him, one hand gliding up and down her back while the other securely cradled the back of her head. He didn't stare at her or make any kind of effort to rush her, opting to simply gaze up at the stars above as he waited for her fountain of tears to run dry.

 _"There...There was something I wanted to talk to Lotor about..."_ Klara thought to herself once enough of the emotional fog had cleared from her mind for thought to be possible again. _"I....I wanted to ask him something....What did I want to ask?....I....I can't remember..."_


	24. Chapter 24

It had been a long time since Klara had worn her hair down. Well, it wasn't completely down; a few of the locks had been woven into small, identical braids on either side of her head that joined together by an ornate clip at the back of her skull but they were still far looser than the unforgivingly tight braid to which her tresses were normally confined. Another oddity of the day was the fact that she was dressed in a wine red gown along with matching jewelry and heels, articles that had never appealed to her even in childhood and had often been the subjects of many quarrels between her and her mother. Today, however, she had donned them without a fight and she had even taken the extra time to do her hair not once, not twice, but three times to ensure that it appeared perfect and orderly from every angle. She hated how the dress made her feel, with the skirt limiting the range of movement of her legs and the long sleeves feeling so taunt against her skin that she feared they would rip if she lifted her arms too high, but she was willing to endure it just for today. It was the least she could do for them.

After critically analyzing her reflection in the mirror for what felt like the hundredth time and seeing nothing out of place, she heaved a weary sigh and plucked the small, somewhat outdated spare communicator she had been given off of her cot, pressing the little navy blue button in the center and twisting it just as Ezor had shown her to turn it on.

"I'm done."

A shriek of static echoed from the coin-sized device for about five ticks and then it fell completely silent, but Klara hadn't really been expecting to receive any response in the first place. A few moments later, the door to her cell slid open and Acxa and Ezor filed inside with two sentries close on her heels. The pair of robots immediately made a beeline for the floor-length mirror that Lotor had lent the Lepidoptan for her preparations and carried it away without a word while Acxa fished the now familiar and rather worn blindfold off of her belt, causing Ezor to roll her eyes.

"Does she honestly need that anymore? I mean, Lotor didn't cover her eyes yesterday, and only an idiot would still be considering escape at this point. Even if she does try to bolt, it's not like she'll be able to get very far dressed like that; she looks like she can barely move in that thing!" the kaleidoscopic general rather bluntly proclaimed as she loomed a breadth or so behind her comrade with her hands on her hips and a look of boredom on her face.

"It is still best to err on the side of caution, Ezor, even if it seems excessive." came Acxa's flat reply as she folded with cloth over on itself a few times to ensure Klara wouldn't be able to see through the slowly thinning material, her eyes occasionally shifting up from her work to shoot the Lepidoptan a wary glance. "Now hold her still."

An annoyed groan sounded from Ezor's lips as she strutted over to the Lepidoptan and grabbed her wrists, already expecting her to start fighting, but to her surprise, Klara didn't even flinch when she touched her. In fact, the Lepidoptan didn't even seem to notice her at all, her eyes and mind drifting aimlessly about while the little voice screaming at her from the back of her head to fight struggled desperately to seize her attention. Acxa took notice of this odd behavior as well, her nose and brows crinkling slightly as her eyes glinted with suspicion, and she made sure to keep a wide berth as she circled behind the seemingly dazed woman just in case it was all an act. Once she was safely sandwiched between Klara's shimmery wings, she placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed the girl down into a slight crouch before throwing the blindfold over her eyes and snugly tying the ends together just above her pretty barrette. When she was certain everything was secure, she gave Ezor a nod and tailed after the two as more chipper general guided Klara out of the cell and into the hall, only stopping briefly to shut and lock the cell door behind them.

She glanced away from them for only a moment but apparently, that was all it took for something to go wrong. By the time she glanced back up and caught a glimpse of Haggar looming directly behind her comrade, Ezor was already colliding with the witch, rousing a squeal of surprise from the former.

"Where are the two of you taking this prisoner?" Haggar questioningly rasped, the light around her growing dim and the air turning cold as her ominous aura swelled to fill the entire hallway.

It took about two thick swallows for Acxa to clear her throat enough to answer the hag, a bead of perspiration already forming on her temple despite the chill lingering over her skin. "Prince Lotor has asked for her."

"He calls for this one a lot, even for a personal servant." Haggar mused aloud, dragging her narrowed eyes slowly over Klara's form a few times in silent judgment. "I assume there is a reason behind the elegance of her attire?"

"The prince has planned to take her with him when he goes to visit her planet today and he wished for her to look presentable for the occasion," Acxa replied steadily, hoping a half lie would sound more convincing to the witch's ears than a full one.

"And what reason would the Emperor Pro Tem have for visiting a fruitless colony on a rather insignificant planet in opposition to completing his duties as the head of the empire?"

Neither Acxa nor Ezor had a response this time, and the former's tight grip on her shoulder was the only thing dissuading Klara from spouting off at the witch despite the wriggling dread currently burrowing hole after hole in her stomach lining, leaving her to merely clench her teeth together in despite. Haggar allowed the uncomfortable silence to linger for several ticks before breaking it, motioning for the two druids accompanying her to round the corner behind which they had been concealing themselves.

"It does not matter. Regardless of whatever reason he has need of her for, he will have to wait. This prisoner is the only member of her crew that I have yet to interrogate, and as the captain, it is likely she will have information that the others do not. If we are lucky, the news of her torment or the sound of her cries will serve as motivation for her loyal dogs to confess whatever secrets they are still hiding." she crooned forebodingly as her minions skirted around her and lurked towards Klara, hands already outstretched to grab hold of her.

Klara's entire body was in a state of alarm now, the pounding of her heart, the rushing of her blood, and the wheezing of her quick breaths all bombarding her ears as a one overwhelming, chaotic rhapsody. Her wings unfurled themselves in an instant, the action spurred by instinct rather than rational thought. There was nowhere she could go that was truly safe and flying while blind would definitely be a challenge, but at the moment, her thoughts were completely consumed by the need to stay out of Haggar's hands. However, just when she was about to bolt and possibly drag Ezor along with her if she wasn't able to free herself from the general's grasp, she heard the shuffling of feet followed by Acxa's voice, which echoed from in front of her now rather than behind.

"Did Lotor agree to this?" she inquired pointedly, eying the druids in such a way that warned them not to come any closer. She could have cared less about what happened to the Lepidoptan, but Lotor was another matter entirely and she recalled all too well, strange as it was, how firm he had been about not letting the witch anywhere Klara. Given his personal opinion of the witch and her methods, the likelihood that the prince would change his mind and allow the Haggar to have her way with the pirate was extremely slim, meaning she was now acting of her own accord in complete defiance to the prince's wishes, and that was something Acxa would not tolerate in the slightest.

Haggar's scowl darkened. "Move out of the way, child."

Acxa did not budge. "Did Lotor agree to this, Haggar? If not, then you will need to move out of the way and let us through, unless you plan on openly defying the request of the emperor."

"I wouldn't recommend that." Ezor chimed in before shrinking back under the gazes of the two druids' beady yellow eyes.

Haggar's lips curled back in an angry snarl as she glared daggers at Acxa, who dauntlessly returned the look. "I am doing this for the good of the empire. She could be withholding vital information."

"If you truly care for the empire then you will respect and obey its emperor."

"Lotor is not the emperor, not the true one at least."

"You are right, witch, but it was you who summoned me forth from my exile to lead the empire in my father's absence. If you simply planned on ignoring me and going behind my back from the beginning, you should have chosen one of Zarkon's many dimwitted Commanders to serve as his surrogate instead."

An inhumane growl emanated from the witch as she swung her head around to face Lotor as he drew closer, his face a sculpture of frigid distaste as he stared her down.

"Lotor, there is no logical reason for preventing me from questioning this prisoner; it is a hindrance to the empire!" she hissed bitterly, a little spittle spewing from her chapped, cracking lips.

"An empire that feels the need to deceive its leader is already doomed, witch. If one woman is preventing you from doing your job, perhaps it is time for you to resign so that another, more competent individual may assume your role." Lotor heatedly barked back, nostrils flared and claws extended as the fine hairs on the back of his neck stood perfectly erect.

The toxic smog pouring off of the snarling witch and prince had almost completely filled the entire hallway by that time, making it nearly impossible for the others present to breathe normally. Grinding her teeth, Haggar eventually dropped down onto her knees in a meek bow, an action her druids quickly mimicked with an additional touch of pressing their faces to the floor.

"Forgive me, my prince. I have overstepped my place." She croaked hollowly, her eyes brimming with bitterness that seemed to strengthen their already harsh yellow glow.

"Do not allow it to happen again. Even my patience has its limits."

"Yes, my prince," were the final words to leave Haggar's lips before she and her minions vanished in flashes of black smoke, leaving only a lingering ominous aura as evidence of their presence. After a final indignant huff for good measure, Lotor allowed his posture and expression to soften as he rested his eyes on those for whom he had worried, and his brow wrinkled slightly when he noticed the blindfold clinging to Klara's head. The two generals watched in silence as he wordlessly glided over to her and effortlessly undid Acxa's knot before gently taking the Lepidoptan's chin in his hand and tilting her head up to look at him, her eyelids fluttering rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the light.

"Are you alright?" he asked. The question was directed at all three of them, but the way his gaze remained fixed on Klara implied otherwise to Acxa and Ezor.

"I...I'm fine....I think.....Sorry, my head is just kind of spinning today...." Klara mumbled distractedly, though her eyes never wavered from the prince's face.

"It's alright; you don't need to apologize." Lotor purred gently, the corners of his lips tipping upwards into the softest of smiles as his hand brushed against her cheek. It was hard to tell with her skin already being such a vibrant shade of pink, but he could have sworn that the faintest of blushes flitted across her face for ever so brief of a moment before she hastily averted her eyes. A playful taunt was already dancing on the tip of his silver tongue as he gazed down at her, but it soon retreated back into his throat when he sensed two pairs of prying eyes boring into him on either side.

"Dispose of this; she no longer needs it." he said coolly while holding the blindfold out for Acxa, who gingerly plucked it from his hand after a moment's hesitation.

"I thought you were busy overseeing the final preparations for our departure." she frowned, her voice distant and cold as she stared up at him with eyes full of skepticism.

"Zetherid managed to round up a few idle sentries to assist with loading the remaining supplies and Narti is running the ship's remaining diagnostic programs as we speak, so we should be ready to leave sooner than originally expected. I tried to call to inform you, but both of your communicators were registering as offline, the witch's doing no doubt." the prince mused, exchanging his gentle grin for a troubled scowl as his fist came to rest against his chin. "Haggar's newfound boldness is quite troubling. This direct confrontation is unlikely to completely deter her from her objective, meaning she most certainly will try again using far more underhanded tactics. We will need some way to keep tabs on her if we are to avoid future trouble."

"Maybe we could put a bell on her or something? That worked pretty well with Kova that one time when he kept sneaking around and stealing everybody's socks," Ezor twittered thoughtfully, her eyes donning an impish sparkle as she imagined such a scenario only to have it snuffed out shortly thereafter when she realized one major flaw in her plan, "She would probably notice though. What if we tagged her with a tracker instead?"

"She would realize what we were up to and either deactivate it or pass it off onto someone else." Acxa countered bluntly.

"Can't you just get rid of her? You're the Emperor Pro Tem, aren't you? Shouldn't you be able to send her away?" Klara suddenly interjected, catching the others offguard.

Lotor's expression and posture softened a little again as she stared expectantly at him, his lips arranging themselves into a melancholy smile when he detected a lingering hint of panic still dwelling in the darkest flecks of her cerulean irises and the anxious quiver that wracked her wings. "I am afraid it is not that simple. The network the witch has established for herself is extremely complex, so even if she is completely removed, her influence will still remain."

"So there's nothing you can do?"

"I did not say that. It's just difficult for me to find a way to protect you other than keeping you at my side at all times..."

The prince's words sent a buzz racing throughout Klara, triggering something inside her that up until that moment had remained dormant, and before she could stop herself, words were already tumbling from her lips. "Is that not an option?"

"No, it is not!" Acxa sharply cut in, her eyes having transformed into live coals that burned so hot that Klara could sense their scorching heat from where she stood as the livid general glared murderously at her.

"Now wait a moment, Acxa. Let's hear her out." Lotor cooed coolly, brow arched slightly as he eyed Klara with intrigue. "Would you care to elaborate, Klara?"

Klara's lips moved of their own accord now, eager to seize hold of the opportunity that she had been patiently awaiting for months. "I do not know if it is this way with the Galra, but for my people, the personal attendants of the royal family are always given the room closest to the suite of his or her master. We've always done it for the practicality of it, but for this situation-"

"-it would put you within a reasonably close distance to me at all times, thereby limiting the witch's opportunity to isolate you." Lotor finished, his smile widening. "Very clever, my dear."

A small flame bloomed in Klara's chest as she returned the prince's grin, its warmth stretching throughout her chest as it fed off of her excitement and grew, but a cold, angry gust from Acxa caused it to flicker dangerously and nearly go out.

"Sir, you can't possibly be considering such a proposal!" she protested fiercely, eyes practically bugging out of her head as a choir of warning bells sounded in her mind.

"Do you have another solution, Acxa?"

The fight almost immediately drained from the general, her jaw hanging slack as she stared blankly at Lotor for a moment before dropping her head so that he could not see her face.

"No, my prince." she mumbled, her words barely decipherable.

"Then we shall go with Klara's plan for the time being. Now, I believe we have dawdled here long enough; Zetherid is sure to be displeased with us for keeping her waiting. Come, let's make haste."

Awkward tension hung thick around them like a cloud as the group silently made their way down the various halls of the Galra mothership that would eventually lead the hanger they desired. Glancing at her colleague, Ezor noticed that Acxa seemed both physically and emotionally bluer than usual, her lips pursed into a tighter line than normal and her posture rigid even by the standards of a Galra soldier.

"You don't need to worry, Acxa. Lotor knows what he's doing; you just have to trust him." she chirped cheerily, offering her fellow general a reassuring smile.

"I do, Ezor." Acxa retorted, almost sounding a little offended that someone would suggest otherwise. However, the momentary flare of temper soon died back down into the steady burn that she had been nursing as she glared daggers at the back of Klara's skull. "She, however, is an entirely different story."


	25. Chapter 25

The entire village was painted red. Banners, flowers, clothing, everything gleamed the same dark, mournful shade of wine, the traditional Lepidoptan color of grief and heartache, and Klara absolutely hated it. She hated the smell of the rare incense her people only burned at funerals as it wafted through the air, its scent so pungent it made her eyes water. She hated how the usual sound of children playing and young musicians practicing their instruments had been replaced by lamenting wails and slow, woeful melodies played by seasoned hands. She hated look of agony on her mother's splotchy, tear-stained face, pain that words could never truly describe weighing heavily on her already fragile heart as she gazed upon the ornate caskets containing what remained of her husband and her father, all the while dabbing at her face with a handkerchief that was already thoroughly soaked. However, what angered her most was none of these things; what angered her the most was herself.

She couldn't focus. After all she had sacrificed, after all she had put herself through in order to arrive at this moment, she couldn't concentrate. Instead of lingering on the memories and love she held for her father and grandfather, her mind wandered aimlessly through a thick fog of swirling, distant worries that refused to disperse, leaving her feeling numb and detached from everything around her. No one else seemed to notice her apathy, either because her glassy stare resembled so well the gleam of unshed tears or because those around her were so caught up in their own grief that they were completely oblivious to everything else around them, but her heart still ached with shame and loathing as she internally cursed herself for her wickedness. A nauseating sourness permeated her mouth as she robotically pressed her lips in a farewell kiss to the gold-embellished glass of each coffin in turn, and though her people's faces gleamed with approval as she waltzed about in unison with her mother and grandmother in a final performance for the deceased king and prince, her movements felt stiff and unnatural to her own body for they lacked the passion and emotion that gave them meaning, without which they were no more than an empty, rehearsed routine. The comforting words and sympathetic smiles her people offered were lost on her as she deemed herself unworthy of any solace because of her disrespect to those that she claimed to cherish, and as everyone around her gathered to feast in honor of their two patriarchs, she chose instead to sit in somber, self-imposed solitude at the edge of the village square and gaze listlessly at the budding foliage of spring around her up until the familiar clack of armored boots broke her focus.

"Mind if I join you?"

Klara gave no response, so Lotor gracefully eased himself down beside her before depositing down in front of her the plate of food and goblet of wine he had been holding.

"I know it is probably the last thing you feel like doing, but you really should eat something, for your mother's sake if not your own." he continued, his usual silky tone laced with tenderness, as he shot a glance over his shoulder back at the crowd.

Klara's brow wrinkled in confusion, but upon following the prince's gaze, she soon realized what he meant. While the rest of the villagers sat in clusters on ornate rugs and chatted idly while they ate, her mother was hovering off along the edge of the dining area by herself, arms wound tightly around herself as her eyes darted anxiously from Klara and Lotor to the prince's generals, who had congregated on a single carpet that was set up several feet away from the rest, to the villagers and then back to her daughter again. A few servants tried on several occasions to offer her some food and drink, but Enoi sharply shooed them away each time before resuming her obsessive routine. Though the sensation was faint due to the fog still shrouding her mind, a trace of guilt did manage to pluck at the strings of her heart, and after staring at the plate before her for a tick or so, she reluctantly plucked one of the small fruits from the pile and brought it to her lips. The pulp tasted sickeningly sweet to her now, her tongue having grown used to the blander food that was served to the Galra prisoners, but she forced herself to keep eating until the entire thing was gone and then downed a large gulp of wine to cleanse her palate of the overwhelming sweetness. When she gazed at her mother once more, however, she was rewarded with the reassuring sight of her mother now picking at a small plate, though she continued to sneak glances up at her daughter and the Galra prince every so often in between bites, and for the first time that day, the corners of Klara's lips curved upwards ever so slightly. The somewhat peaceful moment didn't last long though, coming instead to an abrupt halt when a muffled snicker caught her attention and earned Lotor a questioning look.

"What?"

"You have a little something on your lip, my captain."

Klara's grin disappeared as her fingers flew to her mouth, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment when she felt the wet line of wine along her top lip. Hearing another chuckle, she shot Lotor a pointed glare.

"Are you going to help, or are you just going to sit there and laugh at me?" she growled rather tartly.

"Yes, yes, of course. My apologies. Here." Lotor twittered as he fished a handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to her, smirking at how quickly she snatched it from his hand. As she vigorously wiped away the stain, he continued with a suave purr before he could think and stop himself, "It's too bad that your people associate such a lovely shade of red with something as tragic as mourning; it is truly a pretty color on you."

Klara came to an immediate halt while Lotor fought the urge to bite his tongue till it bled; that comment had come completely out nowhere. However, to his surprise, Klara merely smiled again, though her bottom lip was starting to quiver.

"My father used to tell me that, but I always thought he said it just because he loved the color red. He actually tried to convince the village to choose a different color for funerals once, but my grandfather wouldn't have it..." she mumbled until her throat constricted so tightly that her vocal cords could hardly move and her lips started to tremble. Lotor sensed what was coming long before it happened, and spurred by pure impulse, he quickly enveloped Klara in a tight embrace just as her first woeful wail broke through the air. Her body molded like warm clay against his shape as he pulled her to him, one hand guiding her face into the crook of his neck while his other arm coiled around her middle just below her wings. He could feel the scalding gazes of Enoi and several of the other villagers on his back but he didn't care. At that moment, all that mattered to him was Klara as he comfortingly stroked her hair and listened to her sobs, his heart wrenching at each pained cry.

"I've made a mistake, Lotor. I've made an awful mistake."

"What do you mean?"

"I've sacrificed the lives of those who trusted me, and for what? For two dead men! My crew, my friends, they all are either dead or bound in chains because of me, and my people are now captives of the Galra Empire. All of that loss for something as futile as the remains of two corpses, and that isn't even the worst of it! After all that I have been through, all my crew and I have given up, I can't even focus long enough to pay proper respects to my father and grandfather because I'm too busy worrying about how I am now going to fix this giant mess I've made. I can't decide who that is a bigger insult to! What was I thinking, Lotor? How could I be so reckless and stupid?! None of them deserve this. This was my mission and dream, not theirs; I should be the only one that suffers for it, not them!"

Lotor did not answer right away, choosing every word of his response with the utmost care, and when he did finally speak, his voice was as cool and soft as a morning breeze, its calmness alone combating some of Klara's swelling anxiety as it whispered in her ear, "Perhaps your mission started as a quest to retrieve the wings of your father and grandfather, but I think that as time went on and more people joined you in your pursuits, it evolved into something far greater. On the day your father and grandfather perished, you were exposed to a much greater and more savage universe than you had known, but instead of relenting to it, you rather rose to challenge it, a spark that would later inspire and spread to those you surrounded yourself with. Your ranks may have been small, but you offered your men something they might not have had otherwise, something they were willing to suffer or even die for."

"Maybe so, but that doesn't solve the predicament they are in now or justify me putting them there." Klara refuted bitterly, raising her head from his shoulder and taking another sip of wine to chase away the vile, nauseating taste that was attempting to creep into her mouth once again. "Not to mention that I have no idea where I'm supposed to take things from here or what I'm supposed to do now, and that scares me. What do I do?"

"You breathe." Lotor crowed as he gently cupped her face in his hands and gingerly ran his fingers over her soaked cheeks to clear away some of her tears. "You don't have to have everything figured out right away; when the time is right, it will come to you. In the meantime, you just have to breathe and take each day one at a time."

Klara couldn't explain why, but even Lotor's touch she found reassuring, causing her to lean into one of his hands while her own rose up to tightly clasp his wrist. "What about my men and my people? I don't have time to sit around and wait for my solution. The longer I take to figure this out, the longer they will continue to suffer. How do I justify taking my time with circumstances like that?"

A pitying smile stretched across Lotor's face, perfectly mirroring the sympathy that gleamed in his eyes. "I know it's hard, but you have to remember that you yourself are just as mortal as they are. There is only so much you can do at times, and there are certain limits you simply can't overcome."

"So I'm just supposed to sit back and do nothing then?"

"I never said that."

"Then what are you saying?!"

Lotor fought back the urge to chuckle at the fire in Klara's remark, a glimpse of her true resilient nature that still burned beneath her gloom. "I'm saying that while you may not be able to come up with any permanent solutions to your problems right now, together you and I may be able to at least come up with some temporary ones."

The steeliness of Klara's expression began to melt away, softened by the warmth of the hope that was steadily beginning to grow inside her once again despite doubt's overwhelming presence. "And why would you do that? After all I did to you, why would you help me?"

"Because ultimately I want what you want: peace." Lotor hissed, unconsciously leaning closer to Klara as he spoke. "I want a universe where we all live in peace with one another, not as the conquerors and the conquered but as allies."

"If that's what you want then why can't you just let us all go?"

Once again, Lotor's face grew a little sad as he tentatively tucked a strand of Klara's shimmering hair behind her ear before slipping his fingers beneath her chin, forcing her eyes to continue intently staring into his. "Sadly, the rest of the Galra do not yet share my dream. My father brainwashed them all into seeing the universe in only one way, so implementing such a large change too quickly will hurt my mission more than help it."

"So what do we do now?"

"We start out small and subtle, implementing little changes here and there that will gradually grow and spread as the Galra become more accustomed to the idea of a new kind of empire. That is my plan."

It seemed too good to be true, but no matter how meticulously they searched, Klara's doubts could find no loophole or flaw in Lotor's words, a fact that made her heart race with excitement as she contemplated whether or not to voice what was on her mind. Lotor must have been able to tell that she wanted to say something because he inched closer to her still and offered her a reassuring smile.

"What is it? You can tell me."

"I...I want my crew to be placed under protection from Haggar." It was a selfish request and she knew it, but she couldn't stop herself. If she had even the slightest chance of improving her comrades' lives the she was going to take it.

"I'll do what I can." Lotor promised with a purr, a wave of relief washing over him as he watched the light slowly return to Klara's eyes and face. However, as he continued to stare, the light soon became too bright for him to look at and too warm for him to be so close to her, so he politely but quickly drew back and averted his eyes as he waited for the heat in his face and neck to disappear, his heart fluttering wildly in his chest.

 _"This is that feeling again, the one she told me she could make go away."_ he thought to himself with an inkling of panic, yet as he sat there and focused on it, he soon realized that the sensation wasn't quite as unpleasant as he remembered. In fact, it was rather invigorating. The way his entire body seemed to be buzzing with energy but also oozing tranquility and peace made him feel more awake and alert and optimistic; it made him feel alive.

"Lotor, are you alright?"

Hearing Klara's voice in his ear and feeling in her hand on his arm, Lotor turned around only to freeze when he found Klara's face a mere breadth away from his own, her gorgeous cerulean orbs glittering with concern. At first, he felt like he couldn't breathe, his breath having been stolen from him by those beautiful eyes, but the longer he stared into them, the more he realized that he had to say something.

"I...I"m fine. I was just thinking." he eventually managed to stutter, mentallying chastising himself as his own lips and tongue failed him. Thinking quickly, he snatched up another piece of fruit and held it out to Klara, hoping to distract her while he slid his usual suave, sly mask back into place. "You need to eat some more. If I'm not mistaken, you still have another dance to perform before the night is over, and I don't think you passing out in the middle of it from lack of sustenance will warrant a positive response."

Now it was Klara how giggled, a sweet, merry that sent Lotor's heart into another series of convulsions. "You really need to stop researching my people. It's getting kind of creepy."

"Well pardon me for wanting to be culturally sensitive." Lotor chirped in mock offense, earning more of the wonderful tittering noises from Klara that he was now starting to crave. Unfortunately, just as the atmosphere around them began to take on a certain lightness, a dark shadow suddenly fell over them, both figuratively and literally.

"Sir, we just received a radio transmission from the team currently working on the project. There's been....an injury. They're awaiting your orders on how to proceed." Acxa recited rather bluntly as her eyes flitted distastefully from Klara to Lotor.

Klara noticed Lotor's expression visibly darken, and for a second she could have sworn that he shot an apprehensive glance in her direction. Yet, her eyes must have been tricking her, for when she blinked, the prince's face was entirely normal as he now loomed over her, his hand politely outstretched for her to take.

"I apologize for this interruption. I shouldn't be more than a moment." he chirped apologetically as he pulled her to feet, turning his head slightly to the side so his eyes would not become locked with hers once more and thus expose his inner trouble.

"No, no, it's alright. Do what you must. I'm sorry that this who ordeal has kept you away from your duties for so long."

Smiling to himself, Lotor swiftly scanned his immediate surroundings, and upon finding what he desired, he delicately plucked the largest and prettiest blossom out of the nearest bouquet and wordlessly tucked it behind Klara's ear, purposely ghosting his fingers over the shell of her ear just to rattle her before uttering his final words for her.

"Do not worry about anything else for now; there will be time for that later. Be with your people and focus on the moment before you."

In that moment, Klara's tongue forgot how to before its function, so she merely nodded in understanding. Her eyes remained glued to the prince's back as he followed Acxa over to the other generals, all of whom were scowling at her, and while foreboding murmurs still echoed in the back of her head, their voices had grown so quiet that she barely heard them now. Taking the flower Lotor had adorned her with, she gazed thoughtfully down at it for a moment, and for the first time, it dawned on her that perhaps her father and the prince were right about its color being somewhat appealing. Perhaps she didn't hate it so much after all.

"You didn't eat any of this did you?!"

Startled by the sheer volume of her mother's voice in her ear, Klara jumped a little where she stood before spinning around to find Enoi standing directly behind her, her already aged features carved into a look of complete horror as her eyes bounced between her daughter and the tray of food that she had retrieved from the ground.

Klara's brow wrinkled in confusion, and she carefully inserted her flower back into her hair just above the ornate clip at the back of her head before responding, "Yes?"

"Klara! He could have poisoned it! Please tell me you at least didn't drink the wine?!"

"I did."

"Oh my....for the love of the stars, Klara! Have you no sense at all?!"

"They're not poisoned, mother. Lotor isn't stupid enough to try such a thing here." Klara remarked rather flatly, her head now beginning to throb because of her mother's shrill squeals.

"You don't know that! He's a Galra, Klara! Of what value is your life to him?" Enoi continued to wail.

"It is apparently of some value if he has kept me alive this long!" Klara snapped back, irritated now. However, she soon came to regret her reaction when her mother shrank back from her, looking both surprised and hurt.

"I'm sorry." she quickly blurted, cheeks burning as her heart clenched in her chest.

Enoi's eyes dropped to the floor at her feet. "...Come and dine with your people, Klara. You shouldn't isolate yourself."

"Yes mother."

Following Enoi quietly over to the crowd of dining Lepidoptans, she immediately dropped down onto the first rug she saw that had no other occupants, but seclusion soon proved unattainable as her mother dropped down beside her after obtained a fresh plate of food and two new cups of wine.

"What were the two of you discussing?" Enoi inquired rather coldly between bites of fruit, watching the removed company of Galra out of the corner of her eye as she ate.

"He was trying to comfort me, nothing more."

"And you're certain he didn't poison the food and drink he gave you?"

"Mother!"

"I have every right to worry, Klara!"

"And what good would it do him to kill me here and now, in front of the entire village?!"

"He's a Galra, Klara!"

"He's half Galra!"

"So?"

Klara gave an irritated huff. "Forget it."

Sighing, Enoi's expression started to soften as she gingerly placed her hand overtop of her daughter's. "I'm sorry....I just worry. His people are the whole reason we are having this funeral in the first place."

"If not for him, we wouldn't have father and grandfather's wings back at all."

"You are not wrong, but I....I just don't trust him."

In truth, Klara couldn't blame her mother. Unlike herself, Enoi only knew Lotor as a conqueror and the son of Zarkon; she had not gotten to see the sides of him that Klara had, the soft, vulnerable, compassionate side of him. Even after witnessing such parts of his personality, even she was still wary of him, so what could she expect from someone who hardly knew him at all?

"Everything will be alright, mother. You just have to trust me." she crowed softly, taking her mother's hand in her own and giving it a comforting squeeze.

The corners of Enoi's eyes and lips wrinkled slightly as her lips took the shape of a forlorn smile. "I know. I just wish I could do more."

"I know, mother. I know."

As Klara watched, Enoi's demeanor unexpectedly started to shift. After glancing from side to side over her stiff shoulders, she suddenly slipped her hand up into one of her sleeves and withdrew from it a small, clear vial filled with a red liquid so dark it almost appeared brown or even black, which she hastily shoved into the hands of her puzzled daughter.

"At least take this. Knowing you have some way of protecting yourself will be of some ease to my mind." she said in a hushed whisper, her eyes once again darting around her to ensure that none had observed their exchange.

"Mother...is this what I think it is? How did you get this?!"

"I made it."

"You what?"

Enoi's eyes took on a somewhat prideful sparkle. "Even I have my special talents, Klara. Now would you put that away before somebody sees it?!"

Unsure of what else to do, Klara slid the vial into the pocket of her dress, where it burned hot against her leg despite being cool to the touch. The nauseous feeling had suddenly returned to her stomach, destroying her appetite once again, so she shakily rose to her feet and averted her eyes from her mother.

"I...I think I'm going to go practice my other dance a few more times. I didn't get to go over it as much as the other one and I want to do everyone proud."

"I know you will, but do what you think is best." Enoi answered, quickly adding before her daughter could slip away, "Klara, you know I love you and want what is best for you, right?"

"I know."

"Good. Go on then."

Klara didn't even bother with a forced smile for her mother before hurrying off as quickly as she could back out of the crowd, her mother's gift weighing down her pocket like a mound of pure lead. As she wove her way between the many mats of villagers, she began to notice that her mother wasn't the only one who was watching Lotor. Dozens of hostile eyes took turns glaring at the prince's back, shooting him looks that would have killed him many times if they had had the power to do so, and the adrenaline coursing through her left her shaking. Forcing herself to look away, she quickened her pace as she drew nearer to the edge of the crowd, but just as she was about to cross into the open, one of the seated suddenly stood up right in front of her, causing the two of them to collide.

"Lady Klara, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you! Are you alright?"

"It's alright, Torc. I'm fine." Klara said rather robotically as they separated. As she meet his gaze, she soon remembered one of the other goals she had wanted to obtain during her time back home. "Actually, do you have a moment? I wanted to talk to you about something."

"There's something I need to ask you about to actually." Torc muttered rather sheepishly.

Eying a spacious patch of shade nearby, Klara beckoned for Torc to follow her and, upon reaching it, sat down with her legs and arms outstretched. "Act like you're just helping me stretch."

"Alright."

Once Torc had sat down in a position that mirrored her own and firmly grabbed hold of her wrists, Klara started to talk as he pulled her towards him, causing her to bend forward, "Have you heard any word from Coban's family?"

"Yes, I did. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Torc replied uneasily.

Klara's shot her friend a questioning look. "What did they say?"

"They said thank you for returning the medal and that they hoped you were doing alright."

"Alright might be a bit of a stretch, but I'm enduring."

Torc didn't laugh; in fact, he didn't respond at all, something Klara found rather unsettling. Pulling herself free from his grasp, she sat up straight and looked him dead in his wide, anxious eyes.

"What's the matter?"

"Klara, how did Coban's family get his medal?"

"What do you mean? Coban died in battle in a Galra arena, so I negotiated for you to be given the medal to send to his family...."

Klara's voice broke off as the heavy weight of realization rammed full force into her chest, knocking the air from her lungs and breaking more than a few things.

"Klara?" Torc called worriedly, sounding almost a little frightened.

Klara barely heard Torc at all as her gaze snapped to Lotor, her entire body burning hot as the sick feeling in her stomach was usurped and replaced by something far, far worse. He hadn't; he didn't.

There was no other explanation. He did.


	26. Chapter 26

"I can't believe you!"

Lotor never would have guessed that Torc would be his undoing. The boy was so simple, so doltish that the very thought of him posing any kind of threat hadn't even crossed the prince's mind as he and Ezor were meticulously covering their tracks. He was a minor, seemingly insignificant loose end but apparently he was all that Klara had needed to uncover everything, and now Lotor was paying dearly for his insolence.

The sight of the livid Lepidoptan storming off of Lotor's ship almost as soon as it landed earned more than a few curious stares from the soldiers currently on duty in the hanger, but a stern scowl from Zetherid sent all of them quickly scrambling back to work, though a gutsy few still dared to whisper amongst themselves and strain their ears to overhear whatever drama was about to take place.

"Klara, come back here this instant! This behavior is unacceptable!" Acxa shouted angrily at the retreating Lepidoptan, who just barely heard her over the crashing of her heart and the roaring of her blood in her ears.

"Unacceptable?! UNACCEPTABLE?! _You_ don't get to tell _me_ what is unacceptable!" Klara spat venomously, her eyes burning with rage so vibrant that hellfire would have looked dull in comparison.

"Klara, please calm down." Lotor crowed solemnly as he, Ezor, and Narti descended down the ship's ramp, his stoic expression a stark contrast to Klara's furious one despite the fact that he was feeling somewhat distressed as well. "I understand that you're upset. Why don't we talk about this someplace a bit more private-"

"Why?! So you can shut me up?! Am I causing too much of a commotion for you, your royal highness?!"

Sighing, Lotor shot Zetherid a subtle, pleading look, and immediately understanding what it was that he wanted, the latter spun on her heels and raised her voice so that everyone is the spacious hanger could hear her loud and clear, "Alright, everybody out!"

All work throughout the room ceased, but the soldiers remained fixed where they were, their startled, blank stares causing Zetherid's temper to spike.

"Are you all dense?! What did I just say?! Get moving!" she bellowed louder, her voice rising to a thunderous volume as it echoed off the walls that sent the previously statue-like soldiers scrambling for the door in a mad, cowardly dash of fright. Normally, the sight of the masses fleeing before her would have brought a somewhat sadistic grin to Zetherid's lips, but the tension currently reigning over the air took all the usual pleasure out of the moment.

"Zetherid, Acxa, go watch the doors; I don't want any interruptions or eavesdroppers. Ezor, Narti, go check on the returned work team to ensure that all...complications have been properly addressed and then begin drafting a replacement team; I want a list within a varga so I can begin making preparations for their departure." Lotor ordered, his eyes remaining unwaveringly fixed on Klara and vice versa.

The generals knew what he was trying to do, and surprisingly, it was Ezor this time that gave voice to their common concern. "Shouldn't one of us stay back with you to...you know...keep order?"

"I can handle this, Ezor. Go."

The stern intonation of the prince's voice warned that any further attempts at negotiating would be met with far less friendly results, so one by one, each of the generals sulked towards the door as well, the concern radiating from all of them creating a cloud over their heads that was so dense it was practically palpable. However, they all said nothing, and as they slipped single file out into the hall, only Ezor faltered in her stride just long enough to shoot a pained glance back at her leader before quickly following after her sisters, the door to the hanger sliding shut with a heavy, almost ominous thunk behind her.

The room had barely been theirs for more than a tick when Klara's fist collided with Lotor's nose just as he was about to speak, his words transforming into an unintelligible grunt as he stumbled back a few steps and cupped one hand over his face to protect himself from any further attack as well as to prevent the blood now dripping from his nostrils from staining the front of his uniform.

"You are despicable! You are the most vile, heartless being in the entire universe! Have you no sense of shame at all?!" she exclaimed angrily, her fists trembling with pent up rage as she fought the urge to throw another punch at his perfect face.

"Klara, let me explain-"

"Explain?! What is there to explain?! You lied to me and have now endangered several innocent lives, lives I promised Coban that I would protect should anything happen to him! How do you justify that, Lotor?!"

"Well maybe next time you'll think twice about trying to trick your captor into doing your work for you." Lotor remarked rather snidely before swiftly ducking out of the way as Klara swung at him again with a shrill screech of rage. Seizing both of her wrists before she could ready another strike, he rather roughly jerked her towards him and fiercely looked her in the eye, his lips set in a firm scowl. "Would you please stop trying to hit me? This is supposed to be a discussion, not a brawl."

"What else have you lied about, or has this whole thing just been one huge charade meant to pacify me while you destroy the lives of those I hold dear?! That would explain your random decision to start caring about me, wouldn't it?! Were you ever being honest with me even once?!" she spat at him as she strained against his hold, doing her best to ignore the pain of his claws sinking just far enough into her skin not to draw blood but still make her fairly uncomfortable.

"There's no point in me trying to argue my case if you've already made up your mind about me."

"That isn't what I asked! Was there ever a time when your aid or supposed kindness wasn't backed by an ulterior motive?!

"My intentions in helping you have been pure! You are the one who tried to twist my benevolence to serve your own gain!"

"And the fact that you went behind my back just proves I was right not to trust you with the truth! You claim that you want a universe of peace and unity, but your actions say something entirely different! What am I to believe, Lotor?! Which side of you am I to trust?!"

"You see what you want to see! Your anger blinds you into perceiving things in ways they are not-"

"I see clearly enough, clearer than I have in a long time! You have been manipulating me and using me this whole time, and I was stupid enough to fall for your cruel deception! You're no enlightened Galra savior; you're the slimiest wretch of them all!"

Lotor's face suddenly became very still, followed by a dark shadow slowly glossing over his features as his eyes ignited their own pits of vengeful flames and foul smoke that left a sickening taste in Klara's mouth.

"And you are oh so righteous yourself? Are you not the reason that your people and your comrades are suffering? Was it not your decisions and your leadership that led them into their current snare? Your childish ambitions are to blame for the suffering you see around you! You're no saintly princess or victim deserving of pity! You are a pirate and a spoiled little girl who is willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want, regardless of who suffers the consequences?! Admit it, Klara; you and I are more alike than you think!"

Words could never fully convey the vehemency of Klara's rage, so she didn't bother trying to. Instead, she plunged her leg directly into Lotor's gut with all of the strength and anger she had kept bridled up until that point, ignoring the sting of Lotor's claws shredding through the flesh of her arms as she sent him skidding along the hanger floor on his back in a manner that at another time she might have found humorous.

"I am _nothing_ like you!"

Within those final words, she whirled on her heels and stormed towards the exit as Lotor strenuously rolled himself up into a sitting position, his eyes fixed in a piercing glare on the Lepidoptan's back as he cradled his throbbing stomach.

"Where do you think you are going?! I have not dismissed you!" he demanded assertively despite the fact that generating such a volume worsened his aching.

"I'm going to my cell!"

"It is no longer your cell, remember?"

"Then I'll have the guards put me in a different one!"

"And what of Haggar? You won't be safe from her there."

"At the moment, even her company would be preferable to yours!"

"You're a fool."

"And you're a bastard!"

The hanger double doors couldn't seem to slide apart fast enough for Klara, Lotor's presence growing increasingly insufferable as each second dragged by at an unbearably slow pace. However, no sooner had the exit finally opened enough for her to dart through than did Zetherid's paw swiftly wrap around her neck in a vise-like grip and hoist her into the air, holding her out far enough that the former's flailing legs just barely grazed the latter's chestplate with her wild kicking.

"You've really messed up now, princess." she snarled through bared teeth as Acxa came up alongside her and leveled the barrel of her gun with Klara's temple, eyes steely and unforgiving. Meanwhile, Ezor and Narti hurriedly scuttled to Lotor's side only to be waved away as the prince arduously dragged himself off of the floor, one arm still wrapped securely around his middle.

"Let her go, Zetherid." he said flatly, most of the anger having vanished from his face though a few traces of it still remained in the creases of his brows and the shadows of his eyes. "If the wench is bent on damning herself then I will not stop her."

The hulk of a general's jaw fall agape in disbelief. "Sir, you can't be serious! She attacked you! She needs to be taught a lesson-"

"Do not make me repeat myself, General."

Zetherid, Ezor, Acxa, and Narti were all taken aback. Never, not even in their early days of working together, had Lotor ever addressed any of them by their rankings as opposed to their names, a unique testament to the way he saw them as his equals rather than his underlings like so many other Galra viewed their brothers and sisters. To be addressed by him in such a way was enstranging, as if they were only just noticing the thick glass wall standing between him and them for the first time even though it had always been there. Regardless of whether they cared for him like a friend or a comrade, he was still first and foremost their leader, something they would do best not to forget.

Zetherid barely felt her fingers uncurling from around Klara's neck nor heard the thump of the Lepidoptan's body hitting the floor as she scowled at Lotor, her tongue stayed only by the firm grip of Acxa's hand on her forearm. The prince alone bothered to watch as Klara scampered out of the room, doing the best to distract from the hurt and tears in her eyes with her furious flush and clenched teeth, but with her she took only a fraction of the tension in the room as the hanger doors shut behind her, unease that was merely magnified by the stifling uncertainty that lingered between those left behind. The incessant silence blanketing the room was insufferable, but more terrifying was murkiness of what lay beyond it, the fate obscured but also almost so certain to be poignant that none of them wished to be the one to pierce the veil of quiet and thus send the ensuing calamity into motion. However, sitting in silence for the rest of their lives was hardly a realistic option either, and eventually, Zetherid was the one to step forth and throw back the curtains protecting them from the gales that they all knew awaited them.

"You shouldn't have just let her off like that. She was out of line!" she hissed, her anger having morphed from a fiery burst to a steady, searing simmer whose crackle could be heard in her words.

"As are all of you, if I am not mistaken." Lotor grunted back as he raised his gaze to meet theirs. Though exhaustion reigned predominant in his eyes, flecks of disappointment, annoyance, and possibly even worry could be seen peeking through in certain spots like stars flickering in the scattered patches of open sky on an otherwise cloudy night. "I gave you orders and you defiantly ignored them. I already have one unruly rogue to deal with, and I won't tolerate four more, understood?"

"If she's such a problem then why don't you punish her like you would any other prisoner?! Why do you let her prance around like she owns the place?! You should've let me pummel her into a pulp or at the very least give her a good beatdown!"

"And what would that have done other than reinforce what she already believes about us?" Lotor retorted sharply, though he softened his tone somewhat before continuing, "Part of diplomacy is knowing who and who not to invest your effort into. It is quite clear now that Klara has no intention of being won over, so she is no longer any concern of ours, the gravity of which she will learn sooner or later."

His words sounded promising enough but the weight bearing down on Acxa's chest didn't shift in the slightest, and judging by their body language, she could tell her fellow generals were of the same mindset as she. They wanted to believe Lotor's sweet, enticing words, but they also knew better than anyone how skillful of a performer he really was. Still, perhaps his intentions were true; perhaps all he needed was a little nudge in the right direction.

"...Those left working on the project are still awaiting your orders, my prince. Perhaps we should check in on them in person and see what progress has been made-" she said calmly, hoping her prodding was subtle enough not to rouse Lotor's suspicion but still strong enough to have some kind of effect, but the prince swiftly cut her off.

"Too risky. The witch will surely catch wind of our recent endeavor if she hasn't already and will begin watching us more closely again, so it would be on our best interest to lay low for a few quintents. Tell those on site to finish what work they can and then stand by for further instructions, as well as warn them that I want communication kept to a minimum."

That wasn't the response his generals had been hoping for, but the tension still radiating off of Lotor cautioned against any attempts are arguing.

"Yes sir." they crowed in stiff unison.

"Narti, Ezor, I still want that list of members for the replacement team. Acxa, Zetherid, you two are dismissed for now."

"And what about you? Shouldn't you get looked over? You took some pretty hard hits." Ezor chirped worriedly.

"I've endured worse. Besides, the less the witch knows, the less she can interfere. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some adrenaline to work off." Lotor purred.

Zetherid and Acxa shared a glance before the latter spoke, "Why don't we join you? A little exercise could do all of us some good-"

"I wish to be alone. If I have need of you, I will call you. You are dismissed."

The iciness of Lotor's tone left Acxa dumbstruck, leaving her to stare blankly at Lotor's back as he briskly left the hanger, but an aggravated snarl soon shook her from her trance.

"Zetherid, your temper..." she warned.

"Oh, bite me Acxa! You're seriously going to pretend like there isn't something seriously wrong going on with him? He's completely shutting us out! Us! The people who have always been there for him! I don't know what has gotten into him lately, but I have a pretty good quiznaking idea of who is to blame for it!" Zetherid bellowed, her eyes narrowed into angry yellow slits and fists clenched so tightly that they were trembling.

"And what do you expect us to do? He ordered us to leave him alone, and he made it very clear that he wouldn't tolerate any further disobedience from us." Acxa countered cooly, arms slipping into a defensive fold in front of her chest.

"So we're supposed to just sit back and do nothing?" Ezor frowned, to which she received a weary sigh in reply.

"Yes. For now, we will respect Lotor's wishes. Without the Lepidoptan to worry about, he will hopefully start acting like himself again, and in the meantime, we can all help him indirectly by generating as little extra stress for him as possible. Ezor, Narti, go get started on that team; Zetherid, come with me."

"Where to?"

"Wherever the pirate's trail of destruction leads us."

"But Lotor said she was no longer our concern."

"She isn't but he is, and I won't allow her actions to cause any further trouble for him that they already have." 


	27. Chapter 27

It wasn't going away. No matter how many waves of sentries he sliced down, how many blows he parried, how many rounds he soared through with minimal difficulty, the buzz of adrenaline did little to dull the throbbing ache that pulsated in the hollow cavern of his chest. The warmth radiating from his skin, the sweat trickling down his brow, and the hot, heavy breaths that puffed out from his lips all testified to the life brimming in his veins, but as Lotor lowered his broadsword to his side and stared out at the metallic carnage around him, he could not deny that he felt more like a dead man than a live one.

"Begin the next sequence." he coarsely ordered the robot standing along the wall behind him, kicking aside the dismembered remains of the trio of droids he had been fighting only a tick before to ensure that he wouldn't trip over them during the next battle.

"Sir, you have completely destroyed the entire squadron of sentries you requested..." the machine echoed dumbly, earning itself an icy scowl from the prince that would've made its spine quiver if it had one.

"You're still functional, aren't you?"

The robot didn't even have a chance to respond before Lotor's blade sliced clean through its neck and it collapsed into a jumbled pile on the floor just like all the others, the prince watching emotionlessly as it twitched and buzzed for a moment or so before falling motionless and silent. Just like that, it was over and all was quiet. No cheers or playful taunts filled his ears. No smiling faces greeted him when he raised his head. Everything was still except for the persistent pang that continued to stab at his insides, his current solitude only sharpening the already painful jabs which he was now even more acutely aware of than before. Yet, that wasn't the worst part of the torment. More painful than the agony itself was the fact that this wasn't the first time he had felt such hurt, such dejection, such loneliness, and despite having sworn to himself more decaphoebs ago than he cared to count that he would never allow himself to feel this way again, here he stood.

"So this is where you've been hiding. I was beginning to wonder whether or not I should start checking the maintenance closets after all."

It seemed Lotor wasn't quite as alone as he originally thought. Doing his best to maintain his indifferent expression, Lotor sheathed his sword and turned to head towards his governess, whose face mirrored the passivity of his own with the exception of her arched brows and slightly squinted eyes, obvious indicators that her visit was far from casual.

"It is unwise to isolate yourself, Lotor, especially if no one is aware of your whereabouts. I would have expected you to know better." she continued matter-of-factly as she approached him, her eyes scanning him from head to toe in the same slow, scrupulous manner she had always used during their lessons when the prince was a child. "Where are your generals and your fiance?"

"I told you she isn't my fiance. That was a façade meant to keep her people in line." Lotor stated pointedly.

"You're dodging my question."

"I wished to be alone. Is that so odd as to warrant such badgering, Dayak?" Lotor snapped a little more firmly, faint wrinkles of irritation forming between his brows and around his eyes despite his efforts to keep his expression neutral.

Dayak's already raised eyebrows stretched even higher along her forehead, smoothing out many of the folds that age had carved into her face as they disappeared beneath her cowl for a moment before dropping back it a resting position. Slowly, her switch rose into the air, and even though decaphoebs had passed since the days of his childhood, Lotor still flinched and instinctively averted his face as he awaited its reprimanding sting. However, rather than a sharp bite that left his skin prickling, he was surprised when he instead feel the cool leather caressing his cheek, gently guiding him to look back at his old tutor as she gazed at him not with disapproval or agitation but rather with deep concern and what a brave soul might have even dared to call sympathy.

"I know that look," she cooed in an uncharacteristically soft and warm voice, the already profound creases in her skin deepening and making her appear even older and wearier, "It's the look that I tried so hard to weed out of you but never could. What troubles you, my emperor?"

Dayak had no business prying into his affairs, especially when those matters related so closely to something as intimate as his personal thoughts and feelings. Even if she had been the one to raise him and train him, it was not the Galra way as well as particularly inappropriate given their difference in standing. However, though his mind told him to rebuke the old hag and send her away, Lotor's heart yearned to lean into his governess and confide his worries in her, and eventually, it was the latter that won his internal stalemate.

"I believe I am ill..."

"And you have not sought treatment?"

"It is not my physical body that ails me." Lotor mumbled as he made his way over to the bench off to his right and eased himself down, Dayak silently following suit as she patiently waited for him to continue. "Throughout my life, my greatest strength has been my intellect and rationality. There was a perfect strategy for everything, and once I had discovered it, everything fell into place and made sense..."

"However?" Dayak probed.

"However, as of late, the lines and decisions that were once so clear and defined to me have now all become blurred and entangled with one another. Choices that I would have once made without a second thought are now preceded by hesitation and tailed by uncertainty and regret while actions and feelings that once puzzled me now seem somewhat sensible. No verdict seems entirely correct to me anymore, and the lack of assurance has left me feeling...lost."

"I see..." Dayak hummed thoughtfully. "When did all of this begin?"

"I do not know; a few phoebs ago, perhaps?"

"Right around the time you met Klara?"

Lotor blinked in surprise. "...I suppose it was probably around that time."

The corners of Dayak's lips turned upward ever so slightly into a smile that was neither happy nor sad, merely reflective. "You are aware that emotion has almost always been seen as a weakness by our people, yes? From a young age, we are encouraged to suppress whatever we feel and rely solely on our thoughts. The Alteans, however, believed that emotion served as a compliment to reasoning so long as it was handled with the proper restraint. Their perspective was that the best of decisions were formed when sentiment and sense united, and while there were times when exceptions had to be made, they governed by this doctrine as closely as they could whenever it was possible."

"Who do you think is right? The Galra or the Alteans?"

Dayak almost looked like she was about to laugh, the corners of her eyes crinkling as her grin widened. "I think that is up for you to decide. However, I must say that in my own experience, I have found the most ideal path is often achieved through balance. There are times when rationale must take priority over feeling, but then there are instances when emotion should be heard and considered. It is up to you to decide which response in proper in each instance."

One could practically hear the whir and smell the mixture of metal, smoke, and deep thought emanating from Lotor as he mulled over the governess's words, his face still entirely solemn aside from his eyes that swirled with speculation.

"You surmised earlier that this all started around the time I encountered and triumphed over Klara," he pondered aloud, "You believe she is somehow connected to my current state?"

"As servant and master, you two have spent a lot of time together, and she is coming at this war from a different perspective. Perhaps her outlook on things is what has led you to question your own." Dayak responded wisely as she watched her pupil, her gaze easily catching the little telltale twitches and tremors that managed to penetrate the veil of indifference he had draped around himself without him even knowing.

"Why would her viewpoint matter to me?" Lotor retorted, obviously befuddled by such a claim. However, within a tick, he answered his own question. "You believe I have developed some kind of attachment to her?"

"As I said, you two have been spending a lot of time together. It is only natural."

"It would be natural if there were some attractive aspect about her, but there is absolutely nothing about her that is even remotely appealing! She is hardheaded and erratic and impulsive!"

"That's why she's a compliment to you. You are a being of logic and she is a creature of passion. Together in moderation, they create-"

"-balance." Lotor finished, his lips curving into a smile very similar to Dayak's as he met the old woman's eyes again. "I was under the impression that you distrusted Klara though?"

"I do. However, it is no longer my place to decide the company you keep; I can only advise you to keep your wits about you and be cautious of where you tread, my little prince."

Lotor's face slackened with astonishment while Dayak's stiffened in horror when she realized what she had said, her hands flying to her mouth as if she could somehow stuff that slip of tongue back inside her.

"I-I am so sorry, my emperor! That was improper of me-" she sputtered apologetically as she hurriedly scrambled to her feet, but Lotor quickly grasped hold of her by her shoulder before she could scramble off, sending a visible shudder throughout her entire bony body.

"Dayak," he crowed calmly, "thank you. As always, your counsel has brought me great relief. I am truly grateful for your input."

The crone's posture relaxed beneath Lotor's grip as the gentle intonation of his voice assured her that he was not cross with her over her outburst, and a somewhat sadder smile than before graced her withered features. "I am glad. However, I must admit that my original intention behind seeking you out was not to offer you my advice. It seems that a few of my accomplices in the Haalfar sector are having difficulty with a few of their pupils, and they are requesting my assistance. I did not wish to leave without bidding you a proper adieu."

"Then I shall not keep you any longer from your good works, though I supposed those unruly cadets will be wishing I had kept you longer once they have a taste of your teaching."

Lotor purred, and to his pleasure, he managed to extract a single, unrefined snort from his old teacher.

"I'll interpret that in the context of it being a compliment." she teased him sweetly, and after a brief pause, she almost lovingly clutched his forearm and gave it a tender squeeze. "Stay vigilant, my emperor. You know well already how deceptive the universe can be, but you must remember to stay alert and be frugal with your trust."

"I will." Lotor stated and then quickly added, "Why don't I see you off?"

Dayak tried to hide the spark of delight that ignited in her eyes by adamantly shaking her head and waving her hand to draw the prince's attention away from her face. "Oh no, I couldn't ask that of you! Surely you have more important matters to attend to-"

"I've spent the last two varga reducing robots into scrap metal. I think I have time."

Lotor's smugness roused another chuckle from Dayak as she resigned herself to his suggestion. "I suppose then that it would be an honor to have your company."

"Let us make haste then. It would be rude to keep your future victims-pardon me, your future _pupils_ waiting." Lotor purred before ushering Dayak towards the door, forcing down his urge to glare back at the druid lurking in the shadows of the balcony above as he left and thus risk Haggar's acolyte realizing he was aware of his presence if the phantom did not already suspect it.

_"So the witch is having me watched again. That can only mean she is meddling again and wishes to ensure that she won't be caught-"_

Lotor's thoughts broke off as a chill ran down his spine and encased his stomach in ice so frigid it stung.

_"Oh, you are a despicable opportunist, Haggar; I swear, if you lay a hand on her, you will sorely regret it!"_


	28. Chapter 28

_"You've really done it this time. How pathetic can you possibly be?"_

_"Lotor completely played you and you didn't even know it! You truly are just a naive and simple little girl!"_

_"You just couldn't control yourself, could you? You simply had to go and blow up at him! Well, I hope you're proud of yourself because your little stunt just destroyed beyond repair all the trust and intimacy you worked so hard to build with him over the last few phoebs! Now what are you going to do, oh smart one?"_

_"It was a mistake for your crew to ever trust you; you don't care about anyone other than yourself! What lies are you going to tell them now? To hold on a little longer? That you have another plan? If they were wise, they would sever all ties they have with you and work to save themselves; maybe then they'll actually stand a chance of escaping all of this anguish you've hurled them into."_

"Shut up and go away...I need to think..."

_"You know silencing us won't make us go away, right? Face it, you screwed this all up so extraordinarily that there is no possible way to fix it! No matter what you think of, no matter what you try, all of it will be delusive and in vain. You can't come back from this. You can't-"_

"I SAID SHUT UP!!!"

The previous still silence of Klara's surroundings seemed to only amplify her already deafening screech as it thundered throughout the spare cell she had 'requested' to be placed in after learning her old one had already received a new resident before broadcasting out into the hall.

"I didn't say anything..." the prison guard called falteringly from outside her door, obviously puzzled and maybe even a bit afraid.

On any other occasion, a furious flush would have flooded Klara's face and neck out of sheer embarrassment over her outburst, but at the moment, she could have cared less about the guard. In fact, she hardly heard his remark at all as she was brutally assaulted by the overlapping tirades of her merciless thoughts, her hands pressing against her temples with heavy force as her head hung between her raised knees in a futile attempt to slow the splitting, throbbing migraine that was steadily engulfing her head. Everything had happened so quickly and abruptly that her mind was still trying to catch up, and as each new piece was added and interwoven with the rest, her heart sank deeper and deeper till it was practically in her heels. How could she have screwed up so badly? How _was_ she going to explain everything that had happened to her crew? What if her doubts were right? What if there was no way for her to fix things this time? Such a thought crushed her lungs till there was no air left in them, resulting in a panicked fit of choking and wheezing as she struggled to regain her breath. There had to be a way; there just had to!

Glancing cautiously at the door to ensure that the guard wasn't watching her through the narrow slit that served as a sorry excuse for a window, Klara slipped her hand into the hidden pocket on her dress and wrapped her fingers tightly around the vial of poison that her mother had gifted her, which now felt deathly cold to the touch. If she closed her eyes, she could still clearly visualize the look of grueling grief and potent pain that had permeated the woman's face that quintent, the weight of her anguish dragging further down the wrinkles that had already begun to prematurely age her, and part of her wondered if Coban's widow had looked at Lotor in a similar way upon learning the fate of her husband. She had lost her father, her husband, her freedom, and yet, amidst her own mourning, her mother had still thought of her, her daughter. For Klara to give up would be selfish. She had to keep fighting; she had to find a way. It may be difficult to discover and even more difficult to reach, but she owed it to those around her who had suffered and had lost to try.

"Where is she?"

The croon of that raspy, hauntingly familiar voice sharply pierced the barrier of Klara's thoughts, jolting her back into reality. So absorbed had she been in her own musings that she had failed to notice the dark, foreboding presence that had snuck into the air, sapping away at any light or hope that dared to try and thrive in such a place.

"Y-You must be more specific, High Priestess," the guard stammered, the clink of his shifting armor matching the anxious tremor in his voice, "We have many prisoners-"

"The Lepidoptan, you ingrate! Do not test my patience!"

Fear clawed at Klara's heart as it fluttered wildly about inside her chest, but she forced her face to remain locked in an impassive expression as she slowly stood to her feet. Sliding her hand out of her pocket and back down to her side, she raised herself up to her full height and squared her shoulders as her wings unfurled behind her in an attempt to fill as much of the small space as she could, and as the door to the cell whisked open, her defiant, blazing blue orbs met Haggar's molten yellow ones in a violent yet noiseless clash of resolves that lasted a few seemingly stretched ticks.

"You know what I want," the high priestess eventually snarled, not daunted in the slightest by the Lepidoptan's newfound tenacity.

"I'm not going to give it to you. Your methods do not frighten me, witch," Klara promptly spat back, articulating each word carefully to give it an assertive and confident crispness.

Haggar's eyes narrowed hostilely as four of her druids materialized seemingly out of thin air behind her and slunk around either side of her into the cell in pairs of two, "We shall see."

Klara tried not to flinch as one druid from each set clamped tightly hold of her arms while their partners circled around behind her and Haggar turned to assume her position at the head of the group. As the witch marched her rather perverted parade out into the hall, the guard purposely averted his eyes from the display while it passed, though whether it was from fear or remorse Klara couldn't quite tell. For a fleeting moment, she entertained the idea of purposely dragging her feet, but she soon discarded that notion upon realizing its futility. There was no point in prolonging the inevitable; it wasn't like anyone was coming to save her anyways.

And then, the procession came to a swift, unexpected halt.

"Your continued, deliberate disregard of my direct orders is growing quite aggravating, witch. Perhaps it is time for you yourself to undergo a probation."

A renegade burst of enthusiastic relief rushed to embrace Klara's heart as that silken voice tickled her ears, but the little insurgent buzz was quickly ripped back and trampled down by logic and spite. The purr of that voice should not incite anything but bitterness and anger from her after all that that wicked prince had done, and yet, as her gaze found the chiseled face which rimmed those eyes that burned with purple fire, a part of her deep inside herself was thankful for Lotor's timely arrival.

Haggar's eyes flickered hostilely beneath the shadow of her hood while she meticulously selected her words before speaking, "My apologies, Prince Lotor. I was informed that you had severed ties with the Lepidoptan and misinterpreted the situation to include a revocation of your-"

"If you are going to lie to my face, actually put some effort into it so it sounds remotely believable. Anything less just adds to the insult of your trespass," Lotor snapped angrily before brushing past Haggar and scowling at the two druids that were still clinging stubbornly to Klara's arms, his eyes ever so briefly meeting hers before flitting back to her captors, "Release her."

The two druids didn't even twitch.

"Now," Lotor growled through clenched teeth, his voice dropping to a more menacing octave.

The druids silently glanced at each other and then at Haggar, who despite her sour expression gave them a nod indicating her concession. Within a tick of their clawed hands releasing her wrists, Lotor snatched hold of Klara and pulled her to him, giving her a quick once-over before returning his attention to Haggar.

"One more offense, Haggar," Lotor threatened while subconsciously tugging Klara a little closer to him, "and I will personally see to it that you ALL are demoted from your current positions and placed under constant supervision. Do I make myself clear?"

The druids shifted uneasily, obviously more unnerved by the threat than their mistress, whose expression did not waver aside from the further narrowing of her already squinty eyes.

"...Yes."

At that, Lotor spun on his heels with a grand flourish and marched briskly down the hall, dragging Klara behind him as he all too eagerly left the witch and her acolytes behind. He could sense their eyes boring holes into his back as he fled with their prey, but at the moment, he had more pressing matters on his mind.

"Klara-"

"I have nothing to say to you," the Lepidoptan grumbled flatly.

"Well, I have a few things to say to you."

"You lied to me and used me. You played with me like I was some kind of morbid toy. Why should I listen to a single word that comes out of your mouth after all that?"

Lotor's heart clenched painfully in his chest as he kept his eyes fixed ahead of him, unable to bring himself to look back and see the hurt he knew was glistening in Klara's eyes, "You shouldn't. However, whether you choose to listen to my words or ignore them does not negate their necessity."

"Where are you taking me?"

"The one place where even the witch wouldn't dare desecrate our privacy."

Warning bells clanged in a frenzied concert inside Klara's still groggy mind, rousing her adrenaline back into a full-blown gallop of panic. Lotor was trying to get her alone; that couldn't be good. Horrendous suppositions of what might be in store for her began to cloud her mind, each vision more horrible than the last, but amongst the fog, one thought kept her anchored as the overwhelming possibilities tried to sweep her away. If Lotor was planning on hurting her, why not just leave her with Haggar? If harm was not his objective though, then what was? She had barely begun to search for a conclusion to the latter question when she found herself standing in an unfortunately all-to-recognizable room, and the moment she glanced back at the door behind her, it whisked shut with a menacing hiss, sealing her and Lotor inside.

Lotor's chambers seemed much darker and colder than she remembered, but she tried to brush off these observations as products of paranoia rather than facts. Nonetheless, every fiber of her being remained tense in anticipation, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on Lotor even after he released her hand and gracefully deposited himself on the sleek, glossy sofa adjacent to her.

"You need not be so guarded, Klara. I just want to talk, nothing more," he crooned gently, gesturing to the empty cushion beside him, "Please, sit."

Klara made no immediate effort to move, but after a moment of contemplation, she grudgingly crept toward the couch and perched herself on the very edge of it, her gaze never wandering from the prince for even a tick. No matter how placid he appeared, she needed to remain vigilant. She had to be ready for anything.

"I'm sorry."

Surprise smeared itself across Klara's face before she could stop it, leaving herself open for a volley of taunts, but instead of allowing himself to be enticed by the bait offered to him, Lotor lifted his eyes to meet hers and continued solemnly.

"A child places the blame for his own actions on others, not a leader. Regardless of your behavior, my actions should reflect my words. I _do_ want peace, Klara; my dream is for the Galra Empire to thrive not by conquest and manipulation but through alliances founded on trust and loyalty. However, such a transition is just as hard for my people as it is for others, and though my mentality is quite different from the rest of my kind, I am still a Galra. In my efforts to shift the mindset of the empire, I must also fight to overcome the old ways of my people that have been ingrained in me since birth, and there are times when I fall short of my goal. My disrespect of you and your crew was one of those instances, and for that, you again have my deepest apologies."

Klara was stunned; apparently she hadn't been as prepared for _anything_ as she had thought. Yet as Lotor's words sank her, she felt her heart lurch in her chest in protest, struggling to escape before his promises could take hold of it.

"You're just trying to sweet talk me like you did before," she muttered coldly, tearing her eyes away from his and staring down at her hands resting in her lap, "I'm not going to fall for that again."

"I'm not trying to trick you, Klara. Everything I have said is the honest truth."

"Then why me?"

Lotor blinked, "What?"

"Why me? You could talk about this dream of yours with your generals or other commanders who sympathize with your cause, but instead you tell them to me. You keep me by your side and treat me like one of your own even though I am nothing more than prisoner here, and your explanation is that enjoy having me serve you? Even I'm not stupid enough to fall for that lie! And if that isn't enough, you helped me accomplish the mission I have spent decaphoebs of my life trying to complete when I did absolutely nothing to deserve your help. It doesn't make any sense! Every time I have asked before, you have dodged the question, but if you truly are being honest with me right now then I want the answer! Why _me_?"

The air around them was practically vibrating with anxious energy, and while the two of them were entirely alone, it felt as though every particle in the atmosphere, every cell in their bodies, every atom in the room was watching and waiting eagerly to witness what would happen next. Slowly, Lotor slipped his fingers beneath Klara's chin and tilted her face back towards him, and the air fled from Klara's lungs when she noticed that he had taken the liberty of closing the large gap she had left between them, his face now mere inches from hers. His usually sharp, keen eyes now sported a gentle softness as he gazed down at her, his expression neither happy nor sad, and as he leaned closer, she could feel his hot breath tickling her quivering lips. As she watched him, he came to a hesitant stop when there was little more than a hair's width between them, but after meeting her gaze once more, he closed his eyes and carefully brought his lips down onto hers.

She never would have guessed that his lips were this warm and soft, not that she had ever spent time consciously pondering such a thing. Even more surprising was how gently he kissed her, each caress of her lips sweetly tender. Nothing made sense to her anymore as her brain rapidly unraveled itself till it was nothing more than a jumbled pile sitting in her skull, and without her sense guiding and telling her to pull away, she allowed her eyes to flutter shut and accepted Lotor's embrace. Time became irrelevant as their lips moved in perfect sync, dancing to a tune that neither of them could but both seemed to know, and for just a moment, they could focus on nothing but each other. However, that period of pure bliss sadly couldn't last forever, and all too soon Lotor reluctantly pulled away, triggering both of them to open their eyes and glance back at one another. Heat raced to fill their cheeks, but the sensation felt oddly pleasant to them now. As his lips were molded into a smile, Lotor took Klara's hands in his own and squeezed them with the same delicacy he had displayed during their kiss, his entire person practically glowing now with some kind of new light.

"That's why," he whispered, his voice husky and more charming than ever, "I don't know exactly when, but at some point during our time together, a very special bond formed between us, one of the likes of which I do not share with anyone else. It took me a while to figure out, but I know now that I need you, Klara. As someone from the other side of this war, I need you to help me understand your perspective and the perspectives of those like you so that the terms of our alliance negotiations are fair to both parties. I need you to keep me accountable for my actions and help prevent me from slipping back into the ill customs of my predecessors, and most of all, I need you to stand beside me so that when I am discouraged or frustrated I can look at you and remember why I must keep pushing forward regardless of the difficulty. Can you do that? Can you be that person for me?"

Klara was too stunned to speak, the overload of information stalling her already overwhelmed brain and thus rendering the rest of her immobile. Mistaking her silence for her answer, Lotor's smile quivered as he dejected withdrew.

"Forgive me, that was a very brash thing to ask of you, especially so soon after our earlier...squabble," he mumbled while rising back to his feet, consciously monitoring his words to ensure that they carried no trace of the hurt he felt inside, "The things I have proposed to you are hardly simple matter and should not be regarded as such, so take all the time that you need to think them over as well as know that whatever you decide will in no way impact the treatment you and your crew receive. The room I had prepared for you has not been touched, so if you would like, I can take you there and give you some time to process."

Just as Lotor had begun to turn away, Klara suddenly lunged forward and seized his wrist, surprising both of them. Her already blazing cheeks scorching several degrees hotter, she stood up as well and took a timid step forward till she was as close to him as she had been on the couch.

"I want to believe you. I don't want this to be a deception, but part of me is scared to trust you again. I can't let you hurt me or those I care about." she whispered hoarsely, her grip on him tightening so her trembling fingers wouldn't lose their hold.

Taking Klara's hands in his, Lotor slowly dragged his thumbs over hers in a comforting, stroking motion, his expression apologetic and wistful, "I know, Klara, and I do not blame you for being hesitant with your trust. However, I implore you to grant me the chance to do more that tell you my intentions. It was my actions that lost me your trust, so it must be by my actions that I regain it. If my words alone do not convince you of my aims, Princess, then allow me to show you."

"...I have a request then."

"Yes?"

"...After a successful campaign, my crew and I would always throw a feast with dishes from each of our cultures to celebrate our victories. Returning my father and grandfather home for a proper burial is a mission we have been on since the very beginning, and even in their current circumstances and positions..."

Lotor's smile told her she didn't need to finish; he already understood her request, "Of course. Just tell me what dishes to have the chefs prepare and I will ensure that you and your men each receive a portion of everything."

"Thank you," Klara purred, and after a bashful pause, she added, "You should dine with me. The only reason we succeeded was because of you. Besides, food plays a surprising large part in diplomacy so knowing some dishes from other cultures could help with those negotiations you were speaking of."

A jubilant chuckle rang from Lotor's lips, "I would be delighted. Come now; I'll take you to your room. I'm sure you are more than eager to change back into your regular attire since I recall you mentioning at some point how much you detest dresses and at another the color red."

It was Klara's turn to giggle now, but the sound was fraudulent and misleading. As she trailed after Lotor once again, Klara could feel her heart and her mind tussling inside of her, and while the shrieks of her former were loud, the bellows of the latter were much louder. She had to do this; Lotor couldn't be trusted. Besides, it was already too late for her to change her mind. The signal was going to be sent, and if she tried to retract it, the prince would no doubt become suspicious of her. This was it. Tonight was the night.

Sensing eyes upon her, she glanced at Lotor and noticed him eying her. Quickly, she offered him a sweet, deceiving smile that she hoped didn't too closely resemble a grimace as her mother's potion once again started to burn against her thigh. There was no going back. 


	29. Chapter 29

Three drops: that was all she had been able to give him. She was supposed to slip the whole bottle into his drink, sending him into a slumber from which he would never wake, yet when she finally had his goblet in her trembling hand, her heart managed to momentarily usurp her mind and seize control of her body just long enough to force her to reseal the vial while it was still fairly full and shove it back into her pocket before serving the tainted wine to Lotor. It had been almost a varga now since their meal had ended with her pretending to doze off, but as she lay swaddled in the warm, cushiony embrace of Lotor's bed, the vial still seared spitefully hot against her leg as a relentless reminder despite the efforts of the countless beads of cold sweat that dotted her shuddering body like pox marks.

Although she appeared fast asleep aside from the slight crinkle of her forehead, Klara's whole body felt like it was on fire as her heart raced at an alarming pace and her stinging lungs struggled to gather enough oxygen, leaving her feeling breathless and even more dizzy than she already did. Tumultuous chaos dominated her mind's landscape as dozens of anxieties and doubts competed for her attention, converging into a collective, overwhelming storm as they struggled against one another. What if she hadn't given Lotor enough of the draught? Although she knew very little about the elixir her mother had given her, she knew enough about it from her people's defensive uses for it to understand that it was kind of sedative and only became lethal if given in a large dose. Would three drops be enough to at least render Lotor unconscious? What was she supposed to do if it wasn't? Why hadn't she just given him the full bottle in the first place?!

Biting her lip, Klara opened her eyes ever so slightly and slothfully sat up in the bed, faint, unintelligible groans resonating from her lips as she pretended to stretch while sneaking a glance around the room. She found Lotor lounging on the couch where they had taken their meal earlier, his face turned away from her as his tousled, snowy locks formed messy but beautiful patterns on the pillow beneath his head. Aside from the slow yet steady rise and fall of his chest, his body was entirely motionless, but skepticism still lingered in Klara's mind. After all, she knew firsthand how easily something like slumber was to fake. She needed to be certain, but in order to obtain that assurance, she would have to take a risk.

With a deep, bracing breath, Klara gradually slid out of Lotor's bed and crouched low against the ground, cringing every time the fragile silence around her was pierced by a rustle of the sheets or a creak of the bed frame. Her heartbeat seemed to permeate her entire body until it felt like every fiber of her being was pulsating with such force that she feared it would shake the floors and walls as she crept forward, her tentative footsteps sounding more like the thunderous stomps of a clumsy, massive beast to her own ears. Although the journey from point A to point B probably only took her a few dobashes at most, to her it stretched on for an eternity as she kept her eyes fixed unwaveringly on Lotor out of the worry that he might suddenly spring up at any moment catch her, leading her breath to catch in her throat any time the prince made even the slightest twitch, but soon enough, she found herself kneeling alongside him, her entire body rigid with dread as she gently cupped his cheek in her head and apprehensively turned his face towards her.

Her insides lurched sharply. He looked so....serene. The guardedness that usually painted his face was nowhere to be seen, leaving his features looking much softer and more alluring in the faint purple glow of the room. Guilt gnawed savagely at her core, but she tried to ignore it as she lightly dragged her fingers over Lotor's face and then his neck, watching attentively for even the smallest reaction. However, the prince did not move, and when she found his pulse, its drummed at a leisurely pace against her skin, a rhythm that couldn't be faked. Klara should've felt some relief, but as she sat there gazing into Lotor's slumbering face, her innards condensed themselves into a painfully compact, fleshy ball that hung inside her like a lead weight, anchoring her to the floor. Not once had she ever seen him look as vulnerable as he did now, and she knew there was a reason for that. Her heart screeched shrilly in protest, hoping to dissuade her from performing what it deemed to be a shameless misdeed, but this time, her mind remained firmly in control.

It took her a few tries, but eventually, Klara managed to rather gracelessly drape Lotor against her and lug him off of the couch, her wings flaring outwards partially to help support some of Lotor's weight and partially to steady her own balance before the uneven distribution of mass sent her careening to one side. Making sure to give a wide berth as she passed the low-rising table still littered with the dishes from their meal, she dragged Lotor towards the door only to pause uncertainly when her fingers hovered mere centimeters away from the control panel directly next to it. Once she passed through this door, there would be no changing her mind. If she were spotted, her intentions would be unmistakable and Lotor's favor would no longer provide her with any protection. Beyond this room, either the promise of her freedom or the guarantee of her demise awaited her, and she would not know which she would greet her without surrendering herself fully to the mercy of the unknown. She could not leave until she was certain in her decision.

Her eyes flitted to the dishes on the table and then to her pocket where the vial still smoldered. She had already made her choice. She was already too far along to turn back. She had chosen her path. Inhaling deeply to try and calm her frantic nerves, she returned her attention to the door and pressed the control panel without any further hesitation.

The hallway was eerily still, a silent void where even the shadows on the walls were rendered entirely motionless. It was as if Klara had stepped into some great vacuum, for within moments she felt as if all the air had be sucked from her lungs, leaving her dizzy and breathless. Not even her ragged breathing or the shuffling of her feet appeared capable of overpowering the silence, and while she supposed she should view the barrenness of her surroundings as a blessing, in reality it left her feeling extremely paranoid, her eyes restlessly searching for even the faintest signs of life out of excessive precaution. Even though she had been impeccably discreet and strategic, she could not shake the irrational fear that some way, somehow, there was someone on this massive ship who knew what she was up to and was merely waiting for the most opportune moment to thwart her.

Though she tried to move quickly along the route she had chosen and rehearsed in her head many times throughout the night, the collective weight of Lotor and her own emotional baggage combined her extreme and rather self-detrimental caution definitely slowly her down, dragging out a journey that should've taken a few dobashes into a unnecessarily tense and lengthy quarter of a varga. Nonetheless, she still seemed to round the last bend all too soon, and as her eyes located the hanger door several yards ahead of her on the left, her heartbeat and breathing both hitched, a polar mixture of fear and excitement bubbling in her veins. Instinctively, she readjusted her grip on Lotor to ensure she had the most secure hold on him, and after glancing back over her shoulder one final time in order to be absolutely certain that she had not been followed, she scurried the rest of the distance as fast as she could, adrenaline reinvigorating her weary muscles. There was no one else in sight but that was what she had expected; in truth, her crew would have to be quite stupid to wait for her in plain sight. Fortunately, as she drew closer, the clack of other footsteps soon mingled with her own and familiar faces began to emerge from the shadows.

The sight nearly broke her. While she had had a few tactful interactions with Reiya and Widget, she realized she had not been face to face with one of her crew members, much less all of them, in phoebs. They tried to carry themselves with the same dignity and pride that they had before their capture, but she could still see the toll their imprisonment had taken on them. For some, their trauma appeared physically in the form of scars and disfigurements that would never fully heal. For others, the darkness in their faces or the subconscious trembling of their hands alluded to damage that laid beneath the surface, and for Coban, the lack of his presence itself attested to the pain he had suffered. They all stared at her as they drew near, their eyes conveying messages that couldn't be transformed into words, and it finally dawned on her that they were waiting for her. She had led them into this mess, and they were now waiting to see how she would guide them out. Suddenly, her screaming remorse was reduced to little more than a muffled whisper, and in its place, something new, something resolute, something angry, took hold of her. The Galra hadn't taken pity on her people, so why should she pity them?

Drawing herself up to her full height, she looked each of them in the eye and offered them a small smirk that she hoped they found reassuring, "Glad to see you all got my code. You all enjoy your meals?"

At first, awkward silence greeted her, but just as she began to question her choice of words, a few of her comrades began to snicker while others even dared to smile. Apparently not even Galra torture was capable of completely stripping away their senses of humor.

"Good. Our ship is towards the end of the hangar; given that the Galra have taken the liberty of using it for their own devices, it should be fully fueled and up to date on repairs. I'm assuming the cameras have been taken care of?" she purred smoothly, hoping her voice exuded more confidence than she actually felt.

"Based off of the intelligence of the average Galra footsoldier, I estimate we have about another half a varga before they realize the footage has been looped." Widget answered, obviously rather proud of herself.

"Even so, we can't afford to waste even a single tick. I'll take the prince to the control room and get the bay doors open, and when I join you on the ship, you all need to be in your places so we can bolt out of here and put as much distance between us and this mothership as possible before anyone realizes we're gone."

An uncomfortable hush fell over the crew as they all shared a collective glance and then turned back to Klara.

"What are we going to do with him though?" Widget inquired dubiously, jerking her chin in Lotor's direction. "He'll surely come after us once he wakes up, but if we take him captive again, he might just cause us unnecessary grief, not to mention we would then have the entire Galra empire after us-"

"No matter what we do from here on out, the Galra will be after us. We are fugitives." Klara cut in coldly, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on Lotor's expressionless face. "I will take care of him; you all focus on readying the ship."

The chill in Klara's voice latched its icy claws into the spines of her men, rendering their tongues as useless, numb lumps of flesh in their mouths, so they instead nodded their heads in understanding, notably rather stiffly, and shuffled out of the way to Klara could approach the door panel. Swallowing another bracing breath, Klara cupped her hand around Lotor's and pressed his palm against the scanner, and after a moment full of silent, desperate pleas and staggered breaths, the click of the lock coming undone and the swish of the door sliding open tickled their ears like the sweetest of songs. In a powerful yet nearly noiseless wave, they surged into the hangar, their hearts all drumming the same mad beat in their chests as Klara broke from the group and hauled Lotor towards the control room while the others barreled towards the vessel that would be their salvation. Though hope burned fiercely now in their hearts, they quarantined the reach of its flames and heat to their chests alone so the smoke and warmth wouldn't cloud their minds; even this close, they knew better than to carelessly let down their guard.

Only one soldier was present in the control room and he was luckily already fast asleep when Klara snuck up behind him and struck him hard on the temple to ensure that he didn't wake up any time soon. Slipping her hand over Lotor's once again, she placed his palm firmly on the scanner again before carefully lowering him down onto the ground beside her, his back propped against the console, as soon as she was inside the system, and although she could read about as much Galra as a small child, her limited vocabulary proved to be adequate enough for deciphering what she needed to do. With a few rapid taps, the entire hangar was bathed in the faint, pinkish glow of the now active, semipermeable energy barrier followed by the bay doors slowly drawing apart to reveal the enchantingly beautiful expanse of star-studded space beyond. Though she had seen it many times before, this time the sight momentarily robbed Klara of her breath; only once in her life had the cosmos appeared more brilliant to her than they did now.

" _You mean you didn't always want to lead the Galra?"_

" _Not at all. For much of my youth, I yearned to be an explorer and travel to the edges of the galaxy on a quest to discover as much of its secrets and beauty as possible. Even now, part of that young child still endures somewhere inside me, but I have resigned myself to the fact that such ambition can be no more than foolish fantasy in light of my life's demands."_

" _That's...sad."_

" _Perhaps it is."_

Space was beautiful but it was also mercilessly cold, and though the protection of the energy barrier over the doorway was supposed to be absolute, some of its bitter chill somehow managed to pierce the small of Klara's back and set about invading every nerve and cell of her being as her earlier conversation with the prince echoed hauntingly in her mind, his voice so sweet and gentle yet also so harsh and unforgiving. Slowly, her eyes dropped to Lotor's limp form just as the iciness seized hold of her lungs, making them unbearably tight. There was still one more thing that she had to do.

Phantoms clawed at Klara as she knelt down beside Lotor, ghosts of his lips pressed delicately against her own and his strong arms wrapped tightly around her as he chivalrously carried her to his bed when she pretended to be deeply immersed in the waters of dream, and though her hand was already tightly wrapped around her mother's vial, ready to complete the work from which she had deviated before, it took her a great deal of strenuous effort to actually take it out.

" _Maybe...Maybe I don't have to give him all of it."_ she mused to herself as she gazed down at the bottle in her hand, the toxin inside now appearing jarringly similar to fresh blood, " _If he drinks at least half of the bottle, perhaps he will enter a coma of sorts from which he will not wake till I am long gone. He will surely realize pursuing me after so long would be a pointless waste, or perhaps by then, the empire will have finally crumbled and he will not have the means necessary to come after me."_

No sooner had those thoughts crossed her mind did Klara realize how truly frivolous they were, misleading delusions fabricated by a reluctant heart. Lotor knew her too well, and he would never stop searching for her once he woke. The only way she and those she loved could have even a marginal chance for lasting freedom was for the prince to never again open his eyes; he had to die so they all could live. Trembling, she clutched the vial to her chest and gripped the cork between her fingers, her lip quivering as she glanced up at Lotor one final time.

" _You have to do it! Quit hesitating! He doesn't deserve your pity! Do it now!"_

She couldn't move, and that hesitation was all it took. Klara nearly dropped the bottle as the deafening scream of the ship's alarms reverberated through the air, rattling her brain inside of her skull. To her horror, Lotor's brow wrinkled followed by his eyes slowly fluttered open, and though he was obviously groggy and disoriented from just awakening, the look of sheer and somewhat naive confusion he gave her pained her more than a stab beneath her ribs.

"K-Klara?"

Somewhere deep inside herself, a small voice pleaded for her to apologize to him, but by that point, her throat had already swollen completely shut. With nothing to say, she did the only thing left that she could do: she ran as fast as her feet could carry her. As soon as she was out of the narrow confines of the control room, she spread her wings and took to the air, heading straight for the far end of the hangar where she knew her friends were waiting. The previously vacant area was now teeming with activity as droves of soldiers and robots poured in through every door and surged in the same direction she was headed. One glance at the sea of silver armor foretold what would happen to her weary, half starved, broken men if they engaged; they wouldn't stand a chance.

Suddenly, everything became very quiet for Klara, her ears automatically tuning out the roar of the chaos around her. She knew what she had to do, and for the first time that entire evening, her heart and mind finally seemed to be in alignment with one another. As she soared through the air, steadily gaining speed, everything around her seemed to melt away, her eyes fixed not on her ship or the stars beyond the gateway but rather something else entirely. As she sailed right past her ship, a faint prickling sensation managed to get through to her, and she knew that her crew was watching her, bewildered and afraid. Momentarily sweeping lower to the ground, she snatched a spear from the hands of one of the many soldiers before racing back out of reach, miraculously managing to dodge the gun blasts aimed at her without even thinking about it. Clenching her jaw, she raised up the spear as she barreled towards the object of her eye, one of the generators responsible for powering the energy shield, and without an inkling of reluctance, she rammed point of the shaft into it with as much force as she could manage. A second alarm now screamed out in time with the first, but its cry had barely sounded before a force more powerful than anything Klara had ever felt dragged her out of the ship.

Space was supposed to be cold, but Klara hardly felt anything at all as she floated weightlessly amongst the nothingness. A strange haze had enveloped her mind and body now, making it difficult for her to think, but she managed to withhold enough of her senses to smile as her dimming eyes watched her ship tear away at amazing speeds, carrying her crew far away. Though it was hard to move, she stiffly dragged her frozen fingers over the glass of the vial, which she had somehow managed to keep grasped in her hand this whole time without shattering it. Through the numbness, she could feel her heart beginning to ache again.

" _I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry."_

Slowly, her vision began to blur and darken, but rather than the dazzling twinkle of the stars, the last thing she saw was the flash of a silver mask and the gleam of glowing, golden yellow eyes.


	30. Chapter 30

If the malevolent atmosphere wasn't warning enough for her when she came to, the hiss of Haggar's raspy croon above a hushed chorus of sinister whispers confirmed that Klara was in deep trouble. Against her better judgment, her eyes sluggishly blinked open only to be assaulted by brigades my blindingly bright light that left her cringing until she grew accustomed to the glare, though she soon came to wish that she hadn't. The first thing she discovered, much to her horror, was that she had been strapped to some kind of table, her arms and legs splayed out on either side of her and tacked down fast with iron bonds while something held her wings aloft above her, but even more unsettling had to ve the room she found herself in. An innumerable amount of shelves filled the spacious area around her, branching out into aisles so lengthy that she couldn't see their ends, and while some of them housed beautiful or enchanting artifacts, others were lined with horrible or gruesome scraps that left her feeling sick to her stomach. The air seemed to hum with a strange energy, and amongst the many scents of different herbs and chemicals, the faint yet unmistakable metallic vapors of blood and suffering lingered. Though she had never been to this room before, she had a pretty good idea of where she was, not that that brought her any comfort. This place could only be the lair of the dreaded witch.

"You are awake."

Haggar's snarl sent tendrils of icy fear crawling along every nerve in Klara's body, draining away every ounce of heat she had till she felt colder than a corpse, but somehow, she kept her stoic expression from wavering as the hag glided into her field of vision and gazed down at her with pure disdain, a look she readily returned.

"You are incredibly foolish," she croaked, "You may believe that you have saved them, but there is nowhere in the universe that they can hide from us for long. Tell me where your crew is headed and perhaps I will consider making your imminent suffering more bearable."

Disgust too potent for words pooled on the back of Klara's tongue, nearly making her retch, but instead, she gathered that venom and spat it back in the witch's face as passionately as she could, "Go throw yourself into a dying star, you quiznaking lowlife!"

Though apparently annoyed by her insolence, Haggar did not appear at all surprised by it. Shifting her attention to someone standing on the other side of the table, presumably one of her minions, she growled, "Dispose of the anesthetic; she will not be needing it."

Klara's heart faltered. Anesthetic? Why would she need anesthetic?

"What are you going to do to me?" she demanded, hoping she sounded more angry than afraid.

"I am going to make an example of you," Haggar answered, and for an inkling of a moment, Klara could have sworn she almost looked amused. However, what it was that she saw in the witch's face, it disappeared as quickly as it had manifested and the witch slowly drew back from the table, "You may begin whenever you are ready."

Before Klara could comprehend what was happening, her wings were pulled painfully taut and a horrendous, deafeningly shrill whir broke the air. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a lanky, robotic arm with a silver blur of motion attached to one end extending down towards her back while several hands seized hold of her to keep her steady, and as the machine drew closer, she realized with sickening horror that the object was in fact a saw. Almost immediately, she understood what was about to happen to her, and faster than the early morning mist, all of her grit evaporated, leaving her empty and afraid as the shrieking of the saw morphed into the pained screams of her father that still haunted her. Suddenly, shame and pride meant nothing to her; all she knew was desperation and terror.

"You...You can't do this! My wings-"

"A caged animal has no need for wings. Do not resist or your suffering will escalate."

The saw inched closer, the devilish glint of its eager teeth locking Klara in some mind of cruel trance that rendered her unable to look away. No matter how loudly her soul wailed inside her for her to fight, her body remained paralyzed with the fear of what was to come. Suddenly, she was no longer a fiery pirate or a persistent princess; instead, she was that same frightened, powerless little girl tucked away in a ship's air vent, hands clamped over her ears as she tried to drown out her father's cries, his tormentors' laughter, and her own terrified whimpering. Once again, she was completely powerless and no one was coming to her rescue.

It was then, as if to prove her wrong, that the doors to Haggar's lab flew violently open, and above the shrieking of the saw, that last voice Klara had expected to hear screamed out louder.

"STOP!"

Klara's breath caught in her throat as all heads craned to look at the speaker, and even though the current position of her body and the cluster of druids around her obscured her vision, she did manage to catch a glimpse of Lotor stalking towards the operating table, his stormy eyes fixated not on her but Haggar. Although the hag did not appear frightened by the prince's approach, the scrunching of her brows and the pursing of her already thin lips into an even finer line disclosed not only irritation but puzzlement at his interference, the latter of which plagued not only her but her druids and Klara also.

"Prince Lotor, you should not be about so soon-"

"Silence, witch! Your feigned concern will only aggravate me further." Lotor spat venomously. Though low and even, his tone contained a certain, barely-contained ferocity that petrified the innards of everyone present, leaving Klara unsure about whether she should feel grateful or terrified.

Whipping his head around to glare at the druids, how astoundingly didn't cower beneath his brutal stare, Lotor barked harshly again, "Silence that blade immediately and release the pirate. She is coming with me."

Pirate. He had called her pirate. Not Klara or My Captain or even Princess. He had addressed her as a thing, not a person. It made sense that he would be angry with her, but his shameless degradation of her sent Klara's already heavy heart sinking lower into her gut.

The druids silently glanced at one another, probably having a telepathic discussion of some sort, before collectively swiveling their heads to look expectantly as Haggar, who had gained an assortment of new wrinkles as her face scrunched up as though she had tasted something pungently sour.

"Prince Lotor, the woman took you hostage and it is highly likely that she planned to kill you once you had served your purpose. She cannot go unpunished." she chided in a growl-like mutter.

"I agree, which is why I plan on seeing to her discipline myself."

It had been easier for Klara to breathe while floating unprotected through space than it was in that moment, her heart bashing relentlessly against her chest in an attempt to break free from her body and save itself. As horrendous as Haggar's torture would likely be, the thought of Lotor's wrath was just as daunting. From deep within, her inner child started to wail, and she quickly squeezed her eyes shut before its tears could leak onto her cheeks and expose her for the frightened weakling that she was.

Haggar's lips puckered further, "Sire, I do not believe such action to be wise-"

"And I do not believe continuing to argue with your emperor is wise either! She is my would-be murderer, not another specimen with which you may satisfy your twisted fascinations and bloodlust! Hand her over to me now so she may dealt with according to my judgment, or you shall face your own dire consequences."

Haggar's blood boiled in her veins. Lotor did not remotely scare her, yet his threats did hold weight with her given the unnecessary trouble they could bring. The insolent brat of a prince had backed her into a corner, leaving her with nowhere to run.

"...As you wish, my emperor."

With a wave of the witch's hand, the saw's whining ceased and the shackles binding Klara to the table clacked apart, but she did not attempt to move, her muscles and joints welded in place by dread. Lotor, however, pried her free with no hint of remorse and dragged her off, not even sparing the witch a belligerent glare before he left. None of the druids dared utter a word even several dobashes after the prince's grand exit and merely loomed like shadowy statues as their mistress sulked, droves of toxic smog exuding from her every pore. Finally, a vehement snarl of an order dripped from her glowering lips.

"Send a message to commander Throk. Tell him I have thought of a way he can atone for his recent failures in guarding the Ulippa base..."

—————————

Not once did Lotor look at Klara as they trudged grimly down the long hallway of cells that the latter found familiar yet still so foreign and cold. Both of them sensed the curious eyes of various guards on them as they went, but their minds were too preoccupied with more heftly things to much care. Klara's frantic pulse hammered against Lotor's iron palm as he escorted her along, selling her out for the terrified bundle of nerves she was despite her relatively impassive expression, but the prince made no comment or indication that he either noticed or cared. Identical cell door and after identical cell door flitted by till they finally came to a stop at the very end of the hallway where six guards in total stood against opposite walls in groups of three. Past the guards sat the only cell that didn't match the others of its block, its massive hatch of a door comprised of thicker steel and manual locks in addition to the automatic ones that foretold of the monsters it was built to hold. As soon as they noticed the prince, two guards from each set scrambled to get the undo the locks while the remaining two veered outwards with their weapons already drawn, ready to fight off any unauthorized soul who dared to try and pass them, and with a strained hum of several motors that shook the walls and floors, the hatch gradually raised just enough for the Lotor and Klara to duck inside where darkness embraced them.

Though the door was still open behind them, Lotor finally released Klara from his vise-like grip and took several long strides away from her as though just being near her was excruciating. Perhaps it was. As her eyes slowly traced every line and curve of his broad and painfully stiff back and shoulders, an apology ventured to make a mad dash from her lips, but it was squelched out long before it could even reach the back of her tongue, thus prolonging the insufferable silence till Lotor finally broke it.

"You used me...You lectured me about deception and trust, but it was all just a spectacle meant to distract me from the dagger you yourself were planning to wedge into my back...how hardhearted can you be to do such a thing without an ounce of remorse?" His voice was no louder than a whisper, but the barely tamed anguish and fury brimming in his words gave them a stinging ferocity that pierced all the way to Klara's soul.

Klara's eyes dropped to her now interlocked hands, a thousand words scrambling about inside her head in a mad jumble to procure a response, but both her heart and her tongue dismissed everything that was offered to them. The rift that now spanned between her and Lotor could not be mended by words alone, assuming restoration was even possible or that either of them would desire it. Her objective that had once been so clean cut and clear was now a complicated, tangled mass of strings and confusion coiling around her, squeezing her until she couldn't think or breathe. All that she knew for certain was that everything hurt and she wanted it to stop, a pain and a yearning that gnawed at Lotor's core also as he fought the urge to glance back at the source of his torment and kept his eyes glued to the empty wall.

"I cannot allow your actions to go unpunished, but I fear if I decide your fate now, my verdict will be swayed by spite and passion and as a result be excessive and unjust. Until my mindset has righted itself and I can make an unbiased judgment, you will remain here."

Silence.

"You truly have nothing to say? No desperate plea for your life or hot, scornful slander you wish to heap upon me?"

Klara still gave no reaction or response. Unable to bear the smothering atmosphere any longer, Lotor spun on his heels and bolted for the door without so much as a final farewell. The door's pinhole of a window provided a single beam of light amongst the sea of shadows in the cell as the hatch dropped shut behind her, but Klara found no comfort in the folds of its rays. Inhaling sharply, she timidly slipped her arms around herself and delicately gripped the edges of her drooping wings that trembled beneath her touch. It was then and only then that she openly began to cry.

——————————

Acxa, Ezor, Zetherid, and Narti were not expecting Lotor's summons when it came, and it would be a lie to deny that each of them was hesitant to answer. Nevertheless, here they stood with the prince in the otherwise desolate deck of his private shuttle, their stoic expressions perfect mirrors of each other despite different thoughts running through each of their heads.

"You wished to see us, sir?" Acxa inquired, her the ring of her voice unnaturally rigid as she focused painstakingly on preventing even the slightest quiver in her tone.

"Yes. I owe all of you an apology."

Ezor, Zetherid, and Acxa all blinked in disbelieving unison, and the way Narti's tail perked up until it was almost perfectly erect indicated she was just as surprised.

"Lotor-"

"Don't. I know what you are going to say, that you are going to argue that I did nothing wrong, but that is a lie." Lotor bluntly cut her off, though it was obviously not she that he was angry with. "You four are so much more than my top generals, and I should not have treated your feelings as lightly as I did earlier. Your unwavering loyalty to me should earn each of you a voice with which to speak your concerns as well as my ear to earnestly listen, yet I gave you neither. I am truly and deeply sorry for my inexcusable disrespect towards you all."

Though Acxa's expression began to soften almost instantly as his words sank beneath her all to permissible skin, Zetherid's almost seemed to harden even further, her large lips curling back slightly so the light bounced off of her fangs. Ezor, on the other hand, looked totally lost about how to feel, and Narti's seeming indifference didn't offer her any guidance whatsoever. These reactions definitely weren't what Lotor was hoping for, but at the same time, he could hardly blame them for how they responded with all things considered. The damage he had inflicted upon their relationship would undoubtedly take longer to heal than a few varga or even a few quintents and he would respect that. At least Acxa seemed somewhat ready to forgive him, but that could just be his mind warping her reaction into an idealization.

"We...We received word from the tech crew aboard the cruiser that they have resumed work on the project." Ezor chirped hesitantly, unsure if it was proper to bring up such business at that moment.

For the first time that quintent, one of Lotor's old smiles graced his face, diminishing the sharpness of his features so that he appeared somewhat less intimidating.

"Good. Why don't we pop in on them? I have been neglecting our project for far too long now."

"We already programmed the coordinates into the ship, sir. We can slip out unnoticed with the patrol fleet set to leave in twenty dobashes." Acxa piped up with a bit too generous of a dash of zeal. Zetherid bit back the urge to scowl at her.

"Very good. Narti, Ezor, Zetherid, prepare for our departure. Acxa, would you come with me for a moment?"

Zetherid and Ezor glanced at each other again, their eyes welling with concern and uncertainty, but neither managed to throw in a word before Acxa was already dutifully trailing behind Lotor like a loyal dog. As though a spark of apprehension flickered inside her as the deck doors' closed behind her, she snuffed it out immediately as she followed Lotor a little further down the hall till he came to an abrupt stop.

"Prince Lotor, is something wrong-"

Acxa's voice broke off as Lotor dramatically twirled around and tightly grasped her shoulder, greatly surprising her.

"I heard it was you that sounded the alarm. Is that true?"

Warmth rushed to Acxa's cheeks and her lungs for some reason felt much smaller than before, "Yes, I was looking for you in order to...to reconcile and discovered that you and Kla-the Lepidoptan were nowhere to be found."

"Do not speak of it so nonchalantly, Acxa. I owe you my life. Thank you."

Those words, this moment in which the two of them were completely alone, these were the things of which she had always dreamed. Her heart should have been beating faster than lightspeed in her chest and her insides should have felt like a puddle of warm goo. However, Acxa didn't feel like that at all; in fact, she almost felt sad. Was it because the moment wasn't as magically as she had hoped, or was it something else? Still, she donned a smile that she imagined she would wear during such a moment and stooped down in a dutiful, respectful bow.

"It was my duty, my prince."


	31. Chapter 31

"Attention, citizens of the Galra Empire. From this day forward, my son Lotor is to be regarded as a fugitive criminal of the empire. All citizens are authorized to use deadly force to stop him or any of his soldiers. I repeat, Prince Lotor is an enemy of the state. Engage with extreme prejudice. Kill on sight."

\--------------------

The longer Haggar stared at the sight before her, the more livid she became. The emptiness of the maximum security cell mocked her, silent jeers poking at her till her temper threatened to explode with the force of a supernova; even with Lotor out of the picture, that wretched pirate had still managed to slip beyond her grip. As heavy footfalls sounded behind her, she tore herself away from her brooding and swivelled around to face the only person who could be responsible for her chagrin now that Lotor was gone, and though the warden easily towered over her, he flinched as her scalding gaze seared into him and scuttled backwards until he collided with the trio of druids lurking behind him, blocking off his exit. Swallowing thickly as glistening pearls of perspiration welled up on his brow, he did the only thing he could think of and dropped to his knees in a lowly cower before the witch, all pride abandoned in exchange for his life.

"High Priestess, how may I serve-"

"Spare me the civilities. Where is the Lepidoptan, Warden Pwal?"

Harsh coughing wracked the warden's body as his tongue shrank so far back into the depths of his throat that he began to choke on it, leaving him to sputter barely coherent sentences between his gruff hacking spells, "P-Please understand, I made the call out of my desire to protect and serve the empire-"

"Don't waste my time with groveling. Where is she?"

"S-She is being transferred to one of our more remote outposts in the Farthak quadrant as we speak-"

"As Lotor requested of you should anything happen to him?"

Hints of angry red flooded into Pwal's clammy face, which warped into a repulsed scowl complete with a piercing, spiteful glare that he aimed directly at Haggar as he momentarily forgot his terror, "My loyalty belongs to Emperor Zarkon alone! I disposed of the Lepidoptan because she was diseased, which made her a threat!"

The folds of Haggar's face twisted together into a knotted garland of doubt that rested heavy on her forehead, dragging her brow down even lower over her already narrowed eyes, "What do you mean diseased? Why was I not informed that she was ill?!"

"W-We didn't know she was sick until this morning, High Priestess. We assumed her listless behavior was due to her being locked up again after her failure to escape, and when we realized something was wrong, you were at the emperor's side. To bother you with something so trivial seemed ill-advised."

"It is not your place to decide what matters are deserving of my concern, warden; it would do you well to remember that."

Pwal dropped even closer to the ground, his forehead practically touching the ground as waves of dark, seething energy radiating from the witch washed over him with such force that he feared his soul might tear free from his body, "Yes, High Priestess."

"What symptoms did the prisoner have that led you to conclude that she was sick?"

"The guard delivering her meal this morning found her lying unresponsive in the middle of the cell floor. Her skin was cool to the touch, and both her pulse and her breathing were incredibly slow. We couldn't find any signs of injury or struggle, so we assumed whatever was killing her had to be viral-"

"It wasn't a virus, you idiot!" Haggar snapped angrily, her mind already having aligned all of the pieces, "Did you search her?"

"What? Why would we-"

The rest of the warden's words along with the air in his lungs was sucked out of him and the world around him was engulfed in swirling shadows and screaming winds that sprang out of thin air, but before Pwal could utter a single plea for his life, the gales fell silent and the darkness dispersed to reveal the bridge of the ship and dozens of other soldiers staring at him in surprise.

"Call back the ship transporting the Lepidoptan!" Haggar barked fiercely, her shadow writhing beneath her feet and eagerly reaching out its inky tendrils to snatch hold of the warden once more. Pwal sprang to his feet and raced over the dashboard as quickly as he could, too absorbed in his own fright to notice that the entire bridge had gone completely silent.

"Shuttle 7-0-7, this is Warden Pwal. Do you copy?"

The static on the other end of the line sounded all too alike the menacing hiss of a savage animal ready to attack to the warden's ears in his frazzled state, sending a shudder down his spine.

"Shuttle 7-0-7, respond!"

More static.

"P-Perhaps they've already made it to the outpost. I'll-"

"The Farthak quadrant is half a quintent's journey away for a mere shuttle." Haggar fumed. Turning to her druids, she pointed an accusing finger at the trembling warden, "Take the warden and enlighten him on where he has failed."

The druids surged forward with the same fluidity and speed of Haggar's shadows, and in the blink of an eye, they, along with the warden, had vanished. The witch could feel the horrified stares over the almost innumerable number of onlookers, but when she raised her head, all of them scrambled back to their work as to not incur for themselves a fate similar to Pwal's. Setting her sights on a young private who made the mistake of risking a glance at her and catching her eye, she drifted towards while he immediately dropped to his knees.

"Send a squadron of fighters out to look for the missing shuttle; tell them they are to shoot it down as soon as they find it."

The private's eyes went wide, but a glance at the witch's still writhing shadow licking hungrily at his feet snuffed out any urge to protest inside him, "Yes, High Priestess."

\----------------------

The bitter taste would not leave Klara's mouth, and while she was thankful that her plan had worked so well, she was most certainly regretting downing a few drops of her mother's potion straight as opposed to diluting the sour liquid in some water. Still, as unpleasant as the lingering flavor was, it could not take away from the surreality of the moment as she gazed out at the vast expanse of endless stars before her and squeezed the leather grips of the ship's throttle, relishing in the restored sense of control that she had been deprived of for so long. Nagging whispers tried to worm their way into her ears only to be cast out before they could take root, brushed aside to be dealt with at a later time. After all of her suffering, she was finally free, and nothing was going to ruin this moment for her.

As a field of bluish green rocks drifted into view on the starboard of the rinky little shuttle, her heart gave an excited flutter, urging her to make the ship go faster even though it was already chugging along at the top speed it could manage without breaking out into disconcerting convulsions. Beyond that asteroid belt was a planet of lush yellows and pinks and greens, of sweet smells and gentle breezes, of warmth and light and beauty that had never been far from her heart even if it was distant from her thoughts during her captivity. Even if she was not able to stay long for the safety of her people as well as herself, she just wanted to see it and touch it, to see and touch those that she loved so that they would know she was safe instead of trusting whatever lies the Galra fed them about her; that was all she needed from her home to renew her strength for the trials ahead of her just like it always had. Closer and closer crept the edge of the tract and then it was behind her, giving way to beautiful sight she longed to see.

Her chest constricted tightly around her heart and lungs, rendering them entirely motionless as the all of the air rushed out of her in a strangled wheeze of a shriek. Amongst the patches of vibrant colors, a menacing, charcoal gray bruise of charred terrain peered up at her, an abominable blemish that marred the planet's once enrapturing beauty. In that instant, the fuzzy warmth nestled snugly in her center died, leaving a cold hollowness in its wake that brought all of her body's other functions to a stall. Fog blanketed her mind as she stared dumbly at the scar, unable to quite comprehend what she was staring at, but her heart would not allow itself to be fooled so easily, regardless of how painful the truth was. Something was very, very wrong.

Stars and space dust smeared together into a blur of celestial colors as she slammed the steering lever down flat against the console, and though she told herself the haziness was due to the speed at which she was now tearing through the cosmos, the dapples of wetness on her cheeks told her otherwise. The shuddering of the ship now seemed more like an annoying tremble in comparison to the spastic shaking of her limbs as she recklessly guided the ship into a nosedrive from the exosphere to the stratosphere without slowing down before jerking the throttle back so strongly that she almost lost her grip on it and tumbled out of her seat. The damage was even more horrendous up close: what had once been dense, thriving forest was an open wasteland of ash, cinders, and soot where the only sign of movement was the wind stirring up some of the debris. The worst sight of all, however, arose from the rubble when she drew closer to the center of all the destruction, where the burned remains of collapsed huts, storage baskets, instruments, cloth banners, and wooden panels lay scattered in shards amongst fallen trees speckled with burn holes.

Klara's stomach lurched, and before she knew it, the ship was roughly skidding to a stop in the dirt as she clambered for the closest exit only to immediately wish that she hadn't as she swallowed a large gulp of dry, pungent air that tasted of smoke. Every shaky step she took, matter that had blackened to the point of being near unrecognizable disintegrated beneath her feet, the flecks melding with the rest of the black dust that stretched on as far as her eyes could see, and the only noise other than the occasional hush of the wind was her own choppy breathing. She wanted it to be a dream. She wanted to still be unconscious and for this to just be some awful side effect of the toxin, but as she scooped up a handful of ash and watched it smudge on her skin as she rubbed it between her fingers, there was no way for her to deny it even though she desperately wanted to. This really was her home, abandoned and reduced to absolute nothingness.

It was too much for her. Her legs couldn't support her anymore with this newfound, additional weight, leaving her collapse to the ground and break out into a coughing fit as a black cloud flew up around her. She felt the emotions roiling inside of her, but her mind couldn't make sense of any of it. Her palms turned blacker and blacker as she grabbed handful after handful of ash and crushed it in her fists over and over, not that she knew why, and though her lips moved nonstop, words never came. She could still visualize the village the way it had been for the funeral only a movement ago, full of color and life? What had happened since then?

"Klara?! Klara, is that you?!"

Klara found a wooden board from the wreckage clasped in her hands without knowing how it got there, but just as she had started to swing, she wrenched to a stop mere seconds before hitting her target when she found wide, familiar deep blue eyes staring at her.

The board fell from her hands, and when she spoke, her voice cracked, "...Torc?"

In a flash, Torc was on the ground beside her and wrapping her in the sturdiest bearhug of his life while she pressed into him and dug her nails into shoulders, and for a time, they just sat there sniffling and snorting as they clung to one another simply because neither of them had the strength or resolve to do much else.

"What...happened?" Klara finally managed to rasp from where she had rested her forehead against his collarbone.

"A fleet of Galra cruisers showed up overhead and started firing on us. Fighters came in closer once most of the trees were knocked down and started blasting at everything in sight."

"When?"

"A quintent or two after you left."

"Were there any...casualties?"

"Yes."

Klara felt like she couldn't breathe, which could've partially been because of the soot still floating in the air, but she forced herself to keep going, "And the survivors? Where are they?"

"Hiding away in some deserted underground burrows a few miles southeast. We should head there now; perhaps seeing you alive and well will help rouse everyone's spirits."

"My mother and grandmother...are they coping?"

Torc didn't answer, but his eyes told Klara what she feared. Unable to restrain her grief any longer, she released a beastly, heartbroken wail that echoed out across the devastation, and though wordless and incoherent, that cry held a promise. A promise of vengeance. A promise of suffering. A promise of blood.


	32. Chapter 32

Agony would've been bliss compared to the searing pain coursing through Lotor's body. His blood boiled in his veins and his skin blistered as the raw quintessence seeped into him, overloading his body till it was but a hair away from its breaking point. Yet, despite the scalding torment of his body entering a complete meltdown of all systems that torched every fiber of his being, at his very center dwelled a frozen hollowness that the heat could not melt. With glassy eyes, he gazed out into the blinding brightness of the Rift and absently watched the silhouette of Voltron shrink smaller and smaller as the paladins, as Allura, left him behind, but the hurt of their cruelty was no more than a single droplet added to the already raging sea inside of him. His brain had been reduced to a pile of bubbling mush in his throbbing skull, but with instinct as their guide, his trembling hands managed to fumble their way around the grips of the Sincline's controls. The temptation to allow himself to slip off into sweet oblivion and escape from his anguish was strong, but Lotor could not give up so easily. All his life, he had fought for his survival and now would be no different. He would not allow himself to die here.

From within the deepest reaches of his being, wisps of strength trickled into his arms till there was enough for him to thrust the handles forward as far as they could go while he simultaneously flattened the identical buttons on the inner sides of the controls with his thumbs. A shudder ran down the Sincline's body, accompanied by eerie creaks and hisses, and for a single tick, fear filled Lotor's ears with its whispers of hopelessness and loss. However, its voice was soon drowned out by the roar of the engine and the shriek of the massive mech breaking apart, and in the next instant, Lotor rammed back against his seat as his ship shot off like a bullet, tearing towards the lone dark speck in the sea of quintessence. Slowly, his senses began to numb themselves to his pain as his limited energy fedento not only his hands but also his head to keep it from spinning long enough for him to remain focused on what lay ahead of him. The maw of the portal gaped wider and wider till all he could see was blackness speckled with starry dots and purple and blue smears, and before he could wonder what might be waiting for him on the other side, the prince was through.

Just like that, the pain was gone, but it did not forget to leave a gift for its host in its wake. Unprecedented exhaustion crushed Lotor beneath its weight, grinding into him till simply breathing was a laborious fight. Unable to hold himself together any longer, the prince wilted in his seat while his eyes began to droop, dark shadows already blurring the world around him. Soon, he could no longer feel of move his arms, followed by his legs, but he was too weary to care. He hardly heard the muffled popping sound that sounded from somewhere nearby, nor did he pay any notice to the flashes of orange, yellow, red, and white that danced across his vision as his ship lurched to one side. As dizzying lightness once again filled his skull, he allowed his eyelids to fall closed while his head sagged to rest on his shoulder, his consciousness finally giving way to sweet, irresistible nothingness.

\-----------------------

_Four decaphoebs later..._

"Allura, how's your progress?"

"I located another dozen survivors. Lance is shuttling them back to the outpost as we speak," Allura reported as her eyes continued to scan the miles of flooded forest that stretched out below her, "I'm heading towards the nearby mountain range now to see if any of the natives sought higher ground there in spite of their legends about the place."

"Radio in if you run into any problems."

"Will do."

With that, the transmission came to an end, and the only sound that filled the Blue Lion's cockpit was the soft purring of its engine as it glided gracefully through the sky. Though she was thankful for it, the blissful quiet was definitely strange to Allura after she had grown so used to the chaotic symphony of gunfire and cannon blasts. Even after so much time had passed since the fall of the Galra Empire and Honerva's defeat, a devil still perched on the back of her neck, her nerves wrapped around its clawed fingers like the strings of a puppet as it whispered horrid reminders to her. Every time someone called for Voltron's assistance, a faint prickle would race down her spine and into her stomach, sending panicked tremors rippling throughout the rest of her body as it descended, and even though no trace of that dreaded dynasty reared its ugly head, she would not be able to shake the queasiness that gnawed at her for the rest of the quintent. Perhaps it was wrong to be thankful for natural disasters like this one and the other minor plights that had been brought to the paladins in recent phoebs, but Allura was glad nonetheless that these were now her greatest worries.

It did not take long for the land directly ahead of her to sharply twist upwards into a series of black, jagged spikes that strained to gouge the overcast sky above. Indeed, as she gazed upon the place for herself, Allura could understand why the locals' legends described the mountains as the spines of a great monster that lay fast asleep beneath the planet's crust, but she could not allow a few myths and an ominous first impression deter her from what she needed to do. There could be people amongst the rocky cliffs who in their desperation had dared to brave the mountains if it meant their survival, and if she did not go and look for them, there was a chance that no one else would.

"Alright, Blue, let's do this. Activate sonic cannon."

A rumbling growl rang throughout the cockpit, and energy tickled Allura's fingertips as power surged throughout the entire ship before gathering together at a focal point on the lion's back. After a series of clicks and creaks from Blue rearranging her machinery and parts, a holographic recreation of the mountains materialized on the screen before Allura's eyes. Guiding her lion into a gentle dive towards the base of the first mountain, the princess subconsciously clenched her jaw and tightened her grip on the ship's steering while her keen eyes darted agitatedly over the changing hologram. Staring at one tip of the sierra, Blue and Allura meticulously wove their way along the terrain, the lion's belly soaring but a fingerbreadth above the tops of the few trees that sporadically dotted the otherwise rocky, desolate mountainside. Everything seemed to slow to a painfully sluggish speed as Blue sent sonic wave after sonic wave pulsating out only for no little blips indicating a life form to appear on Allura's screen even when they had already covered almost half of the mountain range. Perhaps Allura had been wrong; perhaps no one had dared to brave these peaks even if it meant saving their lives.

_Ping!_

Allura blinked to ensure her eyes were not playing tricks on her desperate mind, but the red dot didn't disappear. Without missing a beat, she slammed the lion's controls forward as far as they could go and Blue shot off like a bullet, crossing in mere moments what had previously taken them at least a quarter of a varga to cover. From amongst the jagged cliffs and the scraggly trees, the mouth of a cavern gaped wide in the mountainside with an impenetrable veil of darkness concealing whatever lay inside. Still, the beacon beckoned her forward into the shadows until they had swallowed her ship whole, and if not for Blue's sonar, she would've been rendered completely blind and crashed into the sloping ceiling of the cave.

The devil on her shoulder tugged at her nerves again till the hairs along her spine were transformed into a stripe of erect bristles. " _You're going in alone? Are you crazy? What if something dangerous and hostile is down there? You'll need backup! Go back to the entrance and wait for Lance to catch up to you!"_

" _I am a paladin of Voltron. I can hold my own against whatever I am met with."_

With that, Allura's concentration forcibly anchored itself in the task at hand to avoid being led astray once again by paranoid speculations. The cave's internal structure remained oddly uniform as it led her down at a slant deeper into the earth, and no additional red dots indicating other life forms appeared before the eyes of the princess. After what felt like yet another small, painfully slow eternity, the topography finally took a rather drastic change and Allura yanked sharply back on Blue's controls before she collided with the abnormal rock formation at the back of the cave. However, after she studied the grouping of peculiar yet somewhat familiar shapes, her heart suddenly dropped. She was not staring at a cluster of rocks but at the remains of a ship, an all too familiar ship, and according to Blue, the person she was looking for was nestled somewhere amongst the ruins.

Allura's throat swelled completely shut and her temples pounded till the pain was almost debilitating. Staring her in the face at that moment was something utterly impossible, entirely unexplainable, and yet ultimately undeniable.

" _Don't jump to conclusions! Just because part of the Sincline made it out doesn't mean he did. A civilian could be using the ship for shelter."_

There was only one what to find out, and it required some risk. After guiding the lion down to the floor of the cave, Allura rose stiffly and dragged her mutinous body down to the hanger in Blue's chest, where her speeder idly sat in patient waiting. She could feel Blue already lowering herself down into position as she climbed on, and as soon as the doors opened, she streaked forward into the blackness before she could change her mind.

The headlights of the speeder did little to pierce the cavern, but they were just bright enough to catch of the plating of the Sincline once Allura was close enough. Pulling up alongside one of the damaged wings, she dismounted as lightly as she could before taking a moment to stare up at the ship in contemplative silence.

Eventually, she found the courage to speak. "Hello?"

Only her echo answered her. Swallowing thickly, Allura placed her hand on the ship, finding it surprisingly warm to the touch, and followed the curving to the metal beneath her hand until she found herself standing beside the main body of the ship. From where she was standing, she couldn't catch a clear glimpse of the cockpit, meaning she would have to get even closer for the confirmation she desired. With a single leap and the aid of her jetpack to give her some extra lift, she landed beside the dome of tinted glass and crouched beside it, her bayard morphing into a flashlight. For a tick, time seemed to still, and part of Allura wished that things would remain frozen for the rest of existence, leaving her cradled in the comfort of obliviousness. However, her thumb slowly glided over the switch on the flashlight, and in the blink of an eye, light flooded into the cockpit.

Allura's mouth gaped wide in a scream, but no sound broke the deathly silence. Though he did not react to the light shining directly in his face, the shallow but steady rise and fall of his chest and the foggy breath that spilled from his lips confirmed he was no corpse. Against all odds, here Lotor lay, unconscious but alive.

Allura's head was spinning and the shock nearly stole her balance. Dropping her bayard, she slumped against the glass for support as one hand flew to her racing heart, unable to tear her eyes away from the slumbering prince. Flashbacks danced a frenzied jig across her mind, the flashing images practically giving her a migraine as the flitted about, and it was by sheer will alone that she kept her wits about her. This discovery, Lotor's survival, changed everything, and as that part deep inside had always feared since the day the war had ended, the peace the Voltron Coalition had striven to achieve was in jeopardy of slipping away between her fingers.

" _No one else knows he is down here...I could...."_

No, should couldn't. Allura knew she could never bring herself to do such a thing. What other options did she have though?

The intercom crackled to life in Allura's helmet, filling Allura's eyes with the smooth, comforting timbre of a familiar voice. "Allura? Allura, you there?"

"L-Lance..."

"Allura, what's wrong? Where are you?! Are you hurt?!"

"I-I'm in a cave in the mountains where Blue located another lifeform. You need to get down here right now!"

"I'm on my way. Are you alright though? You sound upset."

Allura hesitated for a moment before replying, her quivering voice betraying her long before her words did, "...No, no I'm not alright."

"I'm coming, Allura. Stay on the line with me until I get there, okay?"

"Okay. Just hurry."

\------------------------------------

Lance had no words, and that drove him absolutely nuts as he sat beside Allura in the main meeting hall aboard the Atlas. She needed his comfort and support right now, but all he could do was stare dumbly at her as she hunched in her seat, her eyes clouded over with a hundred different emotions. Across from him, Hunk was staring vacantly at his lap, his eyes wide and frightened, while Shiro propped his elbows on the table and rested his folded hands against his lips, his pinched eyebrows the only sign of distress on his otherwise stoic face. Keith's head was resting in the palm of his hand while Pidge bit her lip until it bled a little, her fists clenching and unclenching over and over as the oppressive silence loomed over them all. To some, their reactions to Lotor's survival may have come across as quite dramatic, but such people were blind to what was truly going on. They had been so certain about Lotor's demise, especially after Honerva had failed to fish the intact Sincline of out of the quintessence field, yet despite their unwavering confidence, they had been wrong. This was not just a blow to their egos that left them feeling a little embarrassed; this called into question everything that they had done.

Lance couldn't stand it anymore. Someone had to say something.

"Allura-"

"It had to be all the quintessence that he and his ship absorbed in the Rift. There's no other way to explain how he has survived this long while in a comatose state." Allura mumbled distractedly, almost as if she didn't realize she was uttering her thoughts aloud.

"How did he escape though?" Hunk blurted as he snapped out of his daze, "The Sincline was way too damaged for Lotor to fly it out of the Rift before we sealed it shut!"

"Honerva only retrieved part of the Sincline from the quintessence field. Lotor could've used the force from the splitting of the ships to give himself some extra propulsion-" Pidge mused only for Keith to sharply cut her off with a snarl.

"It doesn't matter how he got out! The problem is that he is alive!"

"Keith, sit down." Though his tone was even, Shiro's growl contained a venomous undertone that Keith dared not challenge, sliding silently back into his chair with his head down. As his attention shifted to the princess, Shiro's face softened, his dark eyes gleaming with sympathy. "Allura, how do you want to proceed with this?"

"I...I don't know."

Lance hated seeing her like this. Allura was an enchanting yet powerful force to be reckoned with, not this timorous, fragile shell of a woman. Folding his arms around her in a tight embrace, he pulled her closer to him and waited patiently for her to meet his eyes when she was ready.

"Everything is going to be alright, Allura. We stopped Zarkon and Honerva, and we've thwarted Lotor once already. Whatever happens, whatever comes our way, we can handle it."

Though his words were directed at Allura, the reassurance they offered warmed the entire room, but it was only for a fleeting moment before the doors near the far end of the table were thrown apart and a furious Romelle stormed in with Coran scrambling after her.

"You brought him here?! You found that...that murderer alive and you brought him back with you?! Why didn't you avenge our fallen brethren and just kill him?!"

Lance was already halfway out of his seat, merciless reprimands multiplying by the second on the tip of his tongue behind locked jaws, when Allura quietly rose to her feet, her frigid stare catching everyone offguard as she approached Romelle while the latter fought the urge to flinch back.

"Senseless bloodshed and violence is the way of the Galra Empire, not of Altea." Allura's voice bit into Romelle's skin with icy fangs, chilling her to her core. "There is a chance that damage done to Lotor by the raw quintessence of the Rift is severe enough that he will never wake from his current slumber."

"And what if he does wake up?"

"We will decide what to do with him the same as we would if he were still asleep."

Romelle's seething rage did not waver, but neither did Allura's calm resolve. For better or worse, someone else, a medic, soon entered the room before the sparks flying between the two Alteans could merge to create something far more explosive, although the poor sap froze for a moment when he found all eyes on him.

"What is it?" Shiro inquired while the others all held their breaths.

It took the medic a moment of fumbling, but he eventually found his words. "The Galra-"

"Lotor" Allura cut in sharply.

"-Lotor....his brain activity is starting to increase. There's a chance that he's going to wake up."

Romelle's nostrils flared. "When?!"

The medic didn't get a chance to answer before the blaring of alarms filled the air followed by Iverson's thunderous booming.

"All available personnel, proceed to the medical bay for a hostile situation! I repeat, all available personnel, proceed to the medical bay for a hostile situation!"

"I think he's awake now." Hunk nervously mumbled.

\-------------------------------

"Sallum, are you absolutely sure?"

"Positive. Tiren and I got multiple reports from the locals confirming in. That bastard is alive, alright.....Uh, you wanna transfer me over so I can report it to the cap' directly?"

"No, I'll tell her. Just send me a digital copy of everything you've gathered so far and stand by for further instructions."

"You got it! Thanks, lass!"

Widget's bracelet gave a little chirp shortly after the transmission ended, signaling that the data transfer between her and Sallum was complete. Pulling up the document, Widget cringed at its informal format and grammar, but she supposed that it was good enough. Completely forgetting the metallic bits and bobbles that had been of utmost interest to her only moments ago, she briskly exited her lab and crossed the small distance leading to the bridge, catching a glimpse of a pod of small, sleek fighters as they raced past a window in pursuit of several frantic robotic targets before she slipped through the pair of large double doors. As she approached, a semicircle of officers dispersed from around the pilot's seat, having just finished whatever meeting they were engaged in, and a few of them shot her curious glances as they passed by. Widget dared not say a word until every soul other than herself and the captain were left, and even when they were alone, it took her a moment to find her will to speak.

"Klara, Sallum and Tiren just sent in their report... Prince Lotor was found alive but unconscious on Zuwaldi and is currently in the custody of the Voltron Coalition."

Widget braced herself for what she expected to be a turbulent fit of a reaction, but to her surprise, Klara merely turned her chair just enough so that she could meet her comrade's eye while her lips curved into a wicked sneer.

"Finally."


	33. Chapter 33

She had planned to sacrifice this reality and many others for her own happiness. She had violated the sacred land of Oriande to use it for her own twisted purposes, and she had brainwashed the colony of surviving Alteans into doing her bidding without question, shamelessly using his name to win over their trust. However, far more sickening was the fact that Honerva's justifications for her crimes had been her fervid love for her husband and son and her fierce desire for another chance at a happier life with both of them. Where had this zealous motherly love been all throughout his youth, when he had needed her guidance and protection the most? What loving parent allowed her child to suffer the abuse and trauma that he had? Never had she been nor would she ever be his mother; to him, she was no more than the vulgar monstrosity with whom he shared blood.

Who was he to judge her though? Hadn't he committed crimes of his own that were equally as atrocious? Had he not also allowed the lines of his morality to become blurred if it meant achieving his own goals? What had he been thinking?! Perhaps the most unsettling revelation of all was how truly alike he and the witch were, regardless of his own incessant denial. It would have been better if he had remained submerged in bleak but merciful oblivion, unaware of his mother's transgressions as he atoned for his own, but life apparently took too much joy in tormenting him to let him go so easily. At least he had the solace of knowing the witch had met her demise at the hands of one of her own minions after failing to retrieve the intact Sincline and him along with it at Oriande.

Though it was as if an invisible millstone was fastened to his neck, dragging him down until his spine was ready to snap, Lotor somehow gathered enough strength to lift his bowed head just enough for his sullen eyes to find Allura's face. His heart recoiled at the sting of the distress which overshadowed her angelic features, and though she remained entirely silent, one glance into her clouded eyes plainly revealed that old scars had been reopened, welling now with fresh blood. He was also keenly aware of the other presence in the room without even needing to glance in the paladin's direction thanks to Lance's steely glare remaining fixated on him at all times, one hand never far from his bayard as he hovered protectively close to the princess. He yearned to break the silence, but what words could he say that held enough power to wipe the darkness from their faces? Nonetheless, this oppressive silence could not be allowed to endure any longer.

"What is to be done with me?"

Judging by the flare of Lance's nostrils, that was the wrong question to ask.

"Are you kidding me?! That's the only question you have after everything you just heard?!" Hot blood pooled in the paladin's face, its steam pouring from his ears as his fist slammed against the cell's wall of laminated glass. "How selfish can you be-"

"Lance."

The biting terseness with which Allura uttered his name brought an abrupt end to her comrade's tirade, though his wary glare and combative stance lingered on unabashed. Meanwhile, the princess drew in a lengthy, steadying breath before meeting Lotor's gaze with gentler but still unforgiving eyes.

"The Coalition will determine your fate after a hearing where you have been allowed the chance to defend yourself."

A dry chuckle rasped from the back of Lotor's throat, "It isn't much of a hearing if all of you already have your own notions about me, but I suppose I only have myself to blame for that."

"You're lucky you get a chance to speak at all." Lance snarled, but Lotor merely ignored him and continued to converse with Allura as if he wasn't even there, much to the paladin's irritation.

"I assume I will be the sole advocate for case?"

To Lotor's surprise, Allura grew very quiet again, her eyes staring at but not seeing him as she momentarily drew back into her thoughts, and her lips puckered as she spat out the sour words on her tongue.

"No. Your governess has agreed to plea on your behalf, and out of respect for Altea and her traditions, I will argue for your lifelong incarceration instead of a death sentence."

Lotor's apathetic air crumbled around him as her words wedged themselves between his mental gears, bringing all logical thought to a stall, but the hint of hopeful warmth in his chest was snuffed out as quickly as it had blossomed. "Is that the only reason?"

"Yes. If it were left up to me alone, I would see you dead within the quintent."

Lotor's heart wrenched painfully in his chest and his head dipped down once more before either Lance or Allura saw the hurt he could no longer conceal behind a stoic mask. His head knew it was pointless, but his heart urged his lips to plead on despite their deaf ears, "I understand your anger, princess, and it is justified. My actions were those of a scoundrel, not a man, and mercy is the last thing I deserve after what I have done. However, though it does not justify my means in the slightest, my earnest desire in the end was peace. I wanted amity to flourish between the Galra and the rest of the universe while the memory of my Father's empire faded to nothing more than a hazy nightmare in the back of people's minds. I yearned for strongly some days for that future that my heart would physically begin to ache, and eventually, I knowingly or unknowingly reached a point where no cost seemed too great if it meant satisfying that longing. I maybe a wicked and despicable man, but can you truly tell me that you, Princess, have never wanted something so badly that it blurred your sense of right and wrong?"

If the atmosphere hadn't been suffocatingly thick before, it certainly was now as that question hung in the air, unable to be forgotten or ignored. For the first time that varga, Lance's glower faltered, the statement obviously catching him offguard, but Allura's scowl remained stern and steadfast.

"No, I have not. If that is the only argument you're able to come up with, then your fate is already sealed."

A melodious voice from honeyed lips, now reduced to a bitter snarl coated in poison. Another radiant, wondrous beauty marred by his touch. This was how things always ended for him, and yet, each time the pain still stung. With the last of his strength spent, the prince's body curled in on itself, crushed beneath the shambles of his shattered dream, and once the clack of armored footsteps taking their leave faded away to silence and Lotor no longer felt burning eyes on his back, he allowed the first hot tear of grief to wet his cheek as he mourned all he had lost.

\-------------------------

"Allura-"

"I don't want to talk about it, Lance."

Allura hadn't said a word the entire walk back to the bridge of the Atlas. Sure, she was upset and probably didn't feel like carrying on a conversation, but her silence worried Lance nonetheless. With anyone else, she might have gotten away with keeping her brooding to herself, but when it came to him, such seclusion wasn't an option.

"Allura-"

"Lance, please-"

"I'm not asking you to talk about what's on your mind, okay?" Snatching hold of Allura's hand, Lance pulled her to a stop, and after a tick or so, she turned to face him, blue staring into deep blue. "Just tell me how I can help because I don't want you facing this alone. Whatever you need from me, I'll do it, even if it means sitting through one of those political meetings that nearly put me to sleep every time or dealing with that purple bastard so you don't have to. Please, let me be there for you; don't shut me out and keep everything to yourself-"

"Lance!"

Lance's voice broke off as Allura's hands cradled his cheeks, and a bud of warmth bloomed throughout his chest when he noticed that a gentle smile had replaced her troubled frown.

"All I need is you, just as you are." Allura's lips deposited a delicate peck of the tip of the boy's nose before the princess rested her forehead against the cool metal of his chestplate. The couple's arms naturally found their way around each other, and for a moment, they merely stood there in that pocket of bliss, allowing their troubles to temporarily slip from their minds as they held each other close.

Those few years ago when the war had finally ended with Honerva's fall, moments like this had seemed like little more than the childish dreams of a pining heart to both of them as the Voltron Coalition faced the aftermath of centuries of war. It hadn't taken long for their young and rather frail relationship to crumble as they became distracted with repairing the damaged universe around them, and though it hurt them both, neither of them fought it at the time. However, in the two years it took to mend not only the galaxy but themselves as well, they had found their way back, back into one another's embrace, and this time, the slow, steady bond they had carefully forged together held them fast. Allura was a paladin and a princess. For her, showing fear or weakness had once been shameful, and yet with Lance, vulnerability came easily. She could never determine whether it was the vibrant gleam in his impish eyes, his strong embrace, or his selfless passion that eased her mind, nor did it matter to her. She wanted all of him, and the way he gazed at her each and every day reassured her that he wanted all of her as well.

Eternity could've passed them by and they wouldn't have cared as they stood there, utterly content as they drank in each other's presence. However, just as Lance's warmth and light, crisp, subtly citrusy scent had rejuvenated Allura's weary mind and body, their moment came to an end as rapid footfalls echoed throughout the hall and a flash of blonde pigtails caught the corners of their eyes.

"How dare you! Does justice for our people mean nothing to you, princess?!" Romelle's face was the brightest shade of scarlet that either Lance or Allura had ever seen, and while the color itself was actually a rather gorgeous pigment, only the purest, most potent kind of rage could have transformed the fair Altean's skin so red.

Allura could have pretended that she hadn't heard her and fled to some remote crevice of the Atlas where Romelle would never think to look for her, but she would only be putting off the inevitable unless she planned on hiding for the next several movements at the very least. Trading their embrace for intertwined hands, her fingers tightly clutching Lance's palm as he squeezed back just as fiercely, Allura swiveled to face Romelle head on, refusing to cower beneath the glow of those blazing, amethystine flames that sought to scorch her soul until she pleaded for mercy.

When Romelle finally drew to a halt, her face was mere centimeters away from Allura's, her shrill shrieks ringing all the louder in the princess's ears at close range. "Out of all people, you chose Coran to serve as the Altean representative for Lotor's trial?! What were you thinking?!"

"Coran was the most qualified."

"The most qualified?! How is he the most qualified?!"

"You and the other Alteans from the colony are all too intimately connected to Lotor and his case to ensure your judgment stays free of bias. Coran is of a more neutral standing, which gives Lotor a better chance at a fair sentence-"

"Fair?! To quiznak with fair! What about the things he did to our people?! Was that fair, Princess?!"

"Romelle, lay off!" Lance snapped while wedging himself between them, Allura tucked protectively behind his shoulder. "You're not the only one having a hard time with this!"

Biting her lip, Allura placed her hand on Lance's shoulder and gave it a light tug. "Lance, it's alright. You don't have to-"

"No, it's not alright! You don't deserve to be talked to like this. Lotor is the bad guy here, not you!" he barked, refusing to break eye contact with Romelle as they stared one another down in a battle of dominance that he currently seemed to be winning given that the rigid, angry lines branching across the blonde's face had softened slightly. "Coran is going to be Altea's representative, the end. If you really don't trust him enough to handle things on his own, then why don't you go recap everything that happened in the colony with him so all the details are fresh in his mind? That makes more sense to me than just yelling at Allura!"

"Maybe I will! I suppose I don't really have a choice since neither of you will listen to me! However, if that murderer isn't put to death as he should be, I'm blaming you, Princess."

Just like that, Romelle was headed back down the hallway again in a fervent search to locate her new target, and as the adrenaline began to taper off and his mind gradually cleared, Lance realized what he had just done and cringed as his mind was flooded with ideas of how Coran might enact vengeance upon him for being thrown to Romelle.

"I just majorly messed up, didn't I?" he whimpered to Allura, "Coran is so going to end me."

"I'm sure he'll go a little easier on you when he discovers you did it for my sake." Allura cooed reassuringly as she snatched hold of Lance's hand once more, causing him to look at her. Soon, a grin identical to hers bloomed across his lips, and after pulling her closer with a gentle tug, he tilted his head slightly so that their foreheads touched as their eyes locked.

"Even if he doesn't, I'll brave anything for you, my princess."

The markings on Allura's cheeks vanished within the rosy pink blush that crept all the way up to the very tips of her pointed ears, and the longer she stared into Lance's gleaming sapphires, the hotter her skin burned. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, the crackling of the Atlas's PA system redirected his attention away from her before she could melt into a piping hot puddle of goo by his feet.

"Allura, Lance, and Hunk, report to the bridge. I repeat, Allura, Lance, and Hunk report to the bridge."

\-------------------------

"Wait, so you're telling me that an black market outpost not only got robbed overnight but that the only things taken were Galra weapons or technology that we were looking for?"

"That's what we just said, Lance."

"I don't need your sass, Keith!"

"You asked a stupid question."

"Enough." Shiro grunted as he shot both paladins a glance that brought their childish bickering to a swift end. "Looks like we're not the only ones after the Galra's old toys. The question is who are we up against."

"Actually, we might be able to find out. One of the dealers here had enough sense to put tracking devices on some of his merchandise. I'm just about done wirelessly hacking my way into his computer to get the trackers' frequencies." Pidge piped up, looking rather pleased with herself.

"Alright, send us that location when you have it; Lance, Allura, and Hunk will meet you fifteen miles out."

Hunk's shoulders slumped as a dismayed groan left his lips; he had been afraid of that. "We will?"

"Yes, we will. Galra technology in the wrong hands could mean big trouble; it's our responsibility to ensure that that doesn't happen." Allura stated, and when Lance slipped a glance at her, he noticed a distinct, determined gleam in her eyes that was both chilling and bewitching and brought a goofy, lovestruck smile to his lips. This was the fierceness he had been waiting to see resurface, and boy, did it make him fall hard for her all over again.

"Alright, fine, but for the record, I have a very bad feeling about this." Hunk whimpered. However, when an unsettling rumble rang out from his stomach, he sheepishly added, "Then again, that might just be the experimental food goo creme brulee disagreeing with me."


	34. Chapter 34

The tension hanging over their heads was almost palpable. Instead of the usual merry prattling or the detailed rehashing of a strategy, dreadful silence filled the Lions' intercoms, which had been left open out of habit alone. While each of them knew that they were all most likely thinking the same thing, no one wanted to give voice to that suspicion and thus make it undeniable. However, on the other hand, if someone didn't say something soon and bring the suffocating quiet to an end, Hunk was certain that he would completely lose his mind.

"...Mmmm - I can't take it anymore! I'm just gonna say it! Lotor has to be the one behind this, right? It's the only thing that makes sense."

"Except for the fact that he was comatose when we found him and is now securely locked up onboard the Atlas." Pidge remarked, though the comment came off a little more blunt than she had intended. Fortunately, Hunk either didn't notice or mind her curtness as he continued to theorize.

"What if that's all part of his plan though? To make himself the least likely suspect, what if he purposely stranded his ship and knocked himself out because he knew we would be looking for survivors on that planet and would take him into custody-"

"There was nothing in his system except for some traces of pure quintessence, and all of his external injuries fit with a crash landing after a long battle. If you can somehow explain all of that away, there's also the minor detail of how he couldn't have known for certain that we wouldn't just kill him upon discovery after what he did."

"Well who do you think is behind it then?"

"A few divisions of the Fire of Purification are still scattered across the galaxy. They might not be capable of much while separate, but if they banded together and planned carefully, they could've pulled this off. The question is who would be able to convince them to join forces?"

"Well, it would have to be someone who's pretty persuasive, right? Even if they're all Galra, getting the different factions to agree on a common goal is easier said than done."

"Definitely. Whoever it is would probably need a lot of experience as well in order for the others to readily receive him or her as the leader…" Pidge's nose crinkled in aggravation as she realized she had unwittingly just played herself right into Hunk's hand, and while she couldn't see her comrade's face, she didn't need to in order to know that he probably had a catlike grin stretching from ear to ear. She should have seen this coming. "Okay, fair point. Maybe we can't totally dismiss Lotor as a suspect just yet."

"One of the Fire of Purification's main goals was to get rid of half galra because they were 'impure.' Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but I don't see them abandoning that ideology so easily even if it meant their survival." Keith chimed in, catching Pidge and Hunk offguard.

"It isn't impossible though!" Hunk exclaimed. "If Lotor managed to unify the remaining members of the Fire of Purification and fake both the crash and his blackout-"

"That's a pretty big if, Hunk." Though he outwardly scoffed at the idea, Lance was in fact listening rather intently to everything his friend said and turning it over in his mind. It sounded crazy, but the thought of Lotor being alive after the fight at the Rift or of Lance fighting in an intergalactic war while piloting a ship shaped like a lion might have seemed crazy once upon a time as well.

"-getting himself captured would make sense because it would divert any accusations away from him!"

"Why not let someone else take the fall for him and continue to operate from the shadows though? It's kind of hard to run a group of insurgents from inside a cell."

"He could be trying to psych us out; you know, knock us off our game so that he can stay one step ahead-"

"It doesn't matter." Like icy serpents, Allura's terse words wound their way down the other paladins' spines in torpid spirals before sinking their fangs into the small of each person's back in order to drain away their warmth. Muscles tense and senses alert, the others finally noticed the grim aura radiating from the Blue Lion, and Hunk began to wonder if he should have just kept his mouth shut and endured the stifling silence after all. Allura was scary when she got upset.

"While I agree that it would be foolish to dismiss Lotor as a suspect, we cannot allow ourselves to become so obsessed with one theory that it blinds us from other possibilities." A shrill ping drawing her eyes back to Blue's windshield, Allura tightened her grip on the lions steering as she squinted at the warning flashing in her right peripheral. "We're about twelve dobashes out from our target, so I suggest we save the speculating for later and focus on the mission at hand. Everyone, prepare to link up, and Pidge, get that cloaking mechanism ready."

Keith should have been the one to give the order, but the other four paladins all seemed to come to a silent agreement not to correct Allura. Energy surged through the five ships and the veins of each pilot as well while the whirring and clicking of different mechanisms shifting and locking together left the air abuzz. No matter how many times they experienced this transformation, there was always something riveting about five different units joining together and operating as one, but this time, the magic of the moment felt a little stale as the lions seemed to take a little longer than usual to merge together into the infamous mech defender of the universe known as Voltron.

"Cloaking is up and running! Waiting on your cue, Keith."

"Alright team, let's move in."

Once again, stifling silence swamped the cockpits of the Voltron lions, broken only by an occasional, apprehensive whine from Hunk as he fidgeted in his seat like a small child. Not far ahead of them, a dense field of asteroids extended as far as the unaided eye could see, and while this offered them plenty of cover in the unlikely event Voltron's cloaking mechanism malfunctioning, it also obstructed their view. Although neither of them said a word to the other, Lance and Pidge simultaneously drew their bayards so they were at the ready if the need to fight arose. However, for the next several, long dobashes, everything remained calm and quiet as they cautiously wove their way through the maze of lifeless rock with no difficulty.

"Hey, maybe we'll get lucky and whoever stole all of that Galra technology will just hand it over without a fight when they realize the paladins of Voltron are after it."

"Hunk, don't say that! You're going to jinx us!"

Not a moment later, as if indeed summoned by Hunk's tepid expression of optimism, a single red dot appeared on the sonar display located towards the bottom right corner of each paladin's screen. A moment later, another one appeared, followed by a third, and in the blink of an eye, three had morphed into three dozen.

"We've got multiple crafts inbound from all sides, probably a squadron of fighters!"

"Great, nice going, Hunk!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Everyone, calm down!" Keith growled. "Pidge, is our cloaking still intact?"

"Yes."

"Then they are probably just completing a routine sweep of the area. Let's slowly maneuver out of their path and then keep moving forward."

Hunk didn't even dare to breathe as Voltron banked to the left just in time to squeeze between two asteroids before they collided, terrified that one all too forceful breath would be all it took to disable their cloaking and expose them to the enemy surrounding them. While the others weren't wrestling with quite as much apprehension as the Yellow Paladin, a grimness had settled over each of them as their eyes darted back and forth between those blinking red beacons and the asteroids ahead of them, their minds running calculation after calculation in the background all the while in preparation of things suddenly going south. As per usual, things did.

"Uh Keith? They're changing course. I'm starting to think this isn't a routine patrol."

"Yeah, I got that, Lance!"

"Well, what do you want us to do, oh great leader?! Are we engaging or not?!"

"If you could stop nagging me for five ticks, maybe I could decide on a plan!" Clenching his jaw so tightly that the pain travelled up into his already pounding temples, Keith arched forward in his seat while sinking his heels into the floor. "Alright, on my signal, we split and scatter. Once you manage to shake your pursuers, rendezvous in the shadow of the Taujeerians' moon three leagues from our original meeting spot, got it?"

"Got it!"

"And...now!"

In a flurry of colors, the five lions broke away from each other and streaked away in different directions, weaving complicated paths through the sea of floating rocks to confuse the ships on their tails. Keith practically threw himself out of his chair as he slammed the the lion's controls down as far as they would go, the ship tearing across the stars in response; however, while the Black Lion came with its own perks, its speed paled in comparison to that of the Red Lion. The slightly larger build of his lion also made it a little harder for Keith to fly his way around sharp corners and through narrow crevices, but he managed somehow. Unfortunately, somehow apparently wasn't good enough because Black was still reading at least two of the three dozen ships behind him that were steadily closing the gap between them. Whoever these marauders were, it seemed that he was their primary target.

"Don't you guys know that it's rude to tailgate?" Grip still tight of the controls, Keith lurched back as hard as he could, guiding the Black Lion into a tight flip before charging straight back at the horde of fighters. The ships hurriedly dispersed to let him through, but in the blink of an eye, they were back on the Black Lion's haunches again, entirely unphased by the narrowly avoided collision. As they crept closer, some of the ships broke away from the rest of the cluster to flank the lion on both sides, and as the first few ships managed to shoot up in front of him, Keith got his first clear glimpse of these rather impressive fighters.

These spacecrafts were unlike anything he had seen before. The vibrant purple body of each ship, along with the stripes of pink, red, and darker purple that branched out from the tail to the wings, meant it stood out against the inky expanses of the universe, so stealth obviously wasn't one of their main concerns. The narrow build of the fighters and their broad wingspans were also quite unique, which probably contributed to their remarkable speed and maneuvering. However, their lack of bulk offered Keith an advantage. It was time to put those bumper car skills from his childhood summers at the fair to use again.

One sharp jerk to the right sent the fighter closest to him on that side into a wild spiral that dragged down two of its brethren with it. However, the gap they left was soon filled by others, and just before they tumbled into the path of a rather large asteroid, the three pilots managed to regain control of their ships and soared up underneath the Black Lion's belly. Apparently, these fighters were more resilient than they looked, and when Keith tried again with another thrust to the side, the ships swerved just enough to avoid being hit while still keeping close enough to restrict his movements.

He recognized what they were trying to do. By surrounding him on all sides, they could herd him along to wherever they pleased, most likely their mothership. One option he had left was to fire on the fighters, but while they were persistent, their actions couldn't quite be considered aggressive, particularly since they had yet to shoot at him even once. In one final attempt to shake himself loose from their hold, Keith again threw the Black Lion into another backflip and bolted straight at the ships directly behind him, but this time, the fighters held their ground, leading him to falter in his surge before colliding with them. In a little less than a tick, he was completely surrounded.

When the pinging of the Black Lion's intercom alerted him that one of the other ships, Keith kept one hand firmly on the ship's controls as he begrudgingly accepted the transmission.

" _Paladin of Voltron, we've been expecting you. We mean you no harm. Our leader merely wishes to have a word with you."_

Keith's nose wrinkled in disdain. "And what if I refuse?"

" _...That would be unwise on your part."_

* * *

The fighters may have been new to Keith, but the Galra cruiser resting near the center of the asteroid field was an all too familiar sight. Once upon a time, he had braved entire Galra fleets without ever breaking a nervous sweat, but now the sight of one lone ship sent his innards plummeting into a bottomless abyss, leaving him feeling cold and hollow. However, unlike most Galra cruisers, this particular ship had streaks of scarlet that snaked along its exterior like veins of fresh blood, which only added to its ominousness, and as they drew closer, Keith noticed clusters of dozens fighters like the ones escorting him whizzing around the cruiser in what appeared to be different attack formations. However, he only caught a brief glimpse of some of these flight configurations up close before the squads all hurriedly banked to either side to allow the Black Lion and its convoy to pass.

Eventually, Keith was guided into an open bay with even more fighters lined up inside along with the other four Voltron Lions parked in a half circle towards the center of the room. After touching down in between the Red and Green Lions, Keith swiftly exited his ship only to be immediately met by a troop of at least six aliens, each brandishing a weapon of sorts, before he could even make it all the way down the ramp. Between their diverse attire and their rather unconventional body language, Keith certainly wouldn't have guessed that these rough-looking goons were actually an elite fighting force if he had not witnessed them in action firsthand, and though he jerked away when one of the men grabbed him by the arm, he decided the best course of action would be to quietly cooperate. The rest of his team, however, apparently wasn't on the same page.

"You have motion sensors set up throughout the asteroid belt, don't you?! That's the only way you could've known our exact location while we were cloaked." Pidge was badgering an aquatic, red headed alien with a spear who had to be at least six feet tall, her size making Pidge look even shorter and more gremlin-like than usually.

"Reiya is mute, paladin, but even if she did speak, she wouldn't be foolish enough to share the secrets of our operations with you." Widget quipped dryly as she picked herself up off of her stomach and climbed out of her fighter.

Hunk noticed a devilish smirk spread across Lance's lips, but the blue paladin had already begun to run his mouth before his friend could stop him, "Look guys! It's a Martian!"

To be fair, Widget did closely resemble the stereotypical Martian with her shorter stature, dark, almond-shaped eyes, and her pale green skin that almost looked like it was glowing, but she hardly seemed amused by Lance's comparison nonetheless. However, a quick kick in the shin from Allura wiped the smirk right off of Lance's face.

"Lance, not the time! Please, forgive my comrade's rudeness."

"I am starting to wonder if you Paladins of Voltron are truly as formidable as your reputations claim...but I guess that doesn't really matter at this point. You're already here and the captain has been kept waiting long enough. Move it."

With Widget assuming the lead, the horde of thugs ushered the paladins along, Lance slipping his hand into Allura's and giving it a tight squeeze while Hunk huddled a little closer to Pidge and Keith. They did not pass many faces as they made their way down a series of dimly lit hallways, but just because they didn't count enough people to pilot all of the ships in that bay alone did not mean that they weren't scattered all throughout this massive cruiser. Had this ship been teeming with Galra soldiers like they were used to, the paladins would've already taken control of it and forced all on board to surrender. However, this legion of warriors was completely new to them, and only an amateur would be foolish enough to attack an enemy he knew nothing about while on their turf. However, it would be equal as inane to not make use of their situation by manipulating it to serve in their favor, so Keith took mental notes of everything he saw. Some of the weapons that he noticed the other troops carrying were Galra weapons that hadn't been a part of the black market stockpile that they had located, so they had either gotten ahold of them when they took over this ship or acquired them from another source. The diversity of the crew also indicated that they were not a supremacist group as the Galra Empire had been. Based on these facts, the most reasonable deduction seemed to be that these people were procuring Galra technology to use for their own means, but what those means were was something he couldn't quite figure out. Perhaps this captain who they were going to meet would be kind enough to enlighten him.

Eventually, the set of sturdy double doors leading to the bridge of the ship rose up to block their path, parting only after Widget had punched in a code and closing immediately behind the group after everyone had been ushered through. Everything was alarmingly quiet now aside from the shuffling of feet and the occasional chatter of the computers lining the platform, and the weight pressing on the paladins' shoulders seemed to double as they were led before the pilot's chair and first laid eyes upon this infamous captain, who immediately rose to greet them.

"So these are the infamous Paladins of Voltrons. Thank you for sparing me a moment of your time." she crooned with an exaggerated bow that was practically dripping with acrimony, her wings extending to their full height behind her to make her look larger and thus more intimidating. When she rose, she locked eyes with her subordinates and gave them a dismissive wave. "Widget, Reiya, and Torc, please stay. The rest of you return to your stations."

"It's not like we had much of a choice in the matter." Pidge grumbled rather sourly once their handlers had cleared the room, her attention shifting between the three remaining lackeys and their leader. "I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how you managed to find us while we were cloaked."

The green paladin's question seemed to pass over Klara's head completely as she instead approached Allura, who had been silently gawking at the captain since her arrival. "You must be Princess Allura, one of the last Alteans. Is something wrong, your highness?"

"You-You're a Lepidoptan," Allura breathed, her words slow and staggered as her mind struggled to make sense of the input it was receiving. "Your people are supposed to be a peaceful, primeval race who do not venture far beyond your own planet. What are you doing as the captain of a warship?"

"The tyranny of the Galra Empire forced us to adapt to avoid being completely wiped out." Klara crooned with an icy tinge to her voice and she casually eased back down to lounge in her chair, the dark metal and red, satiny cloth of her armor catching the light. "Everyone aboard this ship was wronged by the Galra Empire in one way or another and decided that they were done letting those monsters walk all over them. If you think about it, we are not all that different from your little Coalition."

"The Voltron Coalition strives to protect the universe from all threats, not just Galra-related ones." Allura's gut churning uneasily inside her; something about this woman didn't feel quite right. "The Galra Empire is dead-"

"The Galra Empire may be gone, but it is far from dead, Princess." Klara sharply cut her off, eyes glinting like the steel of her armor. "You paladins have yet to snuff out the many factions of Galra insurgents like the Fire of Purification. If they were to become united under one leader, the universe would be threatened with the rise of a new empire more cruel than the last. We must ensure that that doesn't happen."

"I don't understand…"

"Still playing ignorant, Princess? Fine, I'll be frank with you then. I know that you recovered Prince Lotor alive and that you currently have him in your custody. As long as he lives, so does the chance of the Galra Empire regaining its former glory. He must be put to death as payment for his crimes and to ensure the safety of the universe."

The air is the room must have been replaced with cyanide because it suddenly became very hard to breathe as Klara's words rang in each of the paladins' ears.

"How do you know about Lotor?" Lance demanded, nostrils flaring as he instinctively shifted to insert himself between Allura and Klara. "No one outside the circle of leaders in the Coalition are supposed to be aware of that information!"

"News like that can never stay under wraps for long. Someone always blabs."

"To execute Lotor so brashly would be unjust, even after all he has done." Allura stated sternly while pushing past Lance, as much as she appreciated his desire to protect her. "He will be put on trial at the end of which the Coalition will take a vote to determine his fate. You are more than welcome to air your grievances before the jury, but I cannot promise you a particular verdict."

"Is that so? Well, I hope they see things my way, for if Lotor is allowed, there will surely be chaos."

Keith's lips curled back into a snarl. "I'd say that sounds like a threat."

Klara merely smile a sinister sneer of a smile before shifting her attention over to Widget. "Provide the Paladins of Voltron with our communication codes so that they can share the information for the trial with us. Oh, also give them those Galra weapons that we snitched from that black market on Tizidad; we already have more than enough for our troops."


	35. Chapter 35

"Let's go over this one more time from the top-"

"You are wasting your breath, Dayak. This 'trial' is a sham at best; I am a dead man walking."

Dayak's nose wrinkled as she peered at Lotor through the reinforced glass of his cell, her fingers clenching the tablet in her hand so tightly that her claw-like nails carved scratches into the screen. "So you are just going to give up? Is that what I taught you? No, I taught you to fight!"

"If I am not mistaken, that Galra ruthlessness embedded within me is the reason for my current predicament."

"And that is what we need to get the jury to understand. You are a product of your circumstances-"

"Don't patronize me!" Lotor snarled, springing to his feet so quickly that Dayak faltered beneath his burning gaze. "I am not some blubbering martyr who lashes out only when provoked; I am a murderer, Dayak! I chose to take the lives that I did, to backstab those who trusted me. There is no justifying the things I did and to pretend otherwise is sheer lunacy."

"...You are lucky that I am not permitted to enter your cell, for if I could, I would strike you for being so ignorant. You truly believe the things you've endured have had no effect on you? That every whim and emotion you've experienced is completely under the control of your will? Yes, you made many poor choices, but what others need to see is why you made those choices. Only then will they be able to understand that you are not a monster but a damaged man."

Turning his back to his former governess, Lotor retreated to the back wall of his cell and seated himself on the floor once again, his shoulders slumping as his head bowed in defeat, "Damaged I may be, but that does not change the things that I've done."

"Well, a dead man cannot make atonement for his crimes. You have been given another chance, Lotor! The life you once had may be beyond your reach, but a different one is within your grasp. Do you truly intend to waste that opportunity?"

The prince gave no response for he had nothing left to say. Such apathy about his own fate ripped at Dayak's heart, her mind swimming with memories of an inquisitive and strong-willed boy who had never given up, no matter how challenging of a task she presented him with. Grieved as she was, however, she did not shed a tear for weeping was not the way of the Galra.

"Well, you may have yielded before the battle has begun, but I shall not. If you won't fight for yourself, then I will fight for you whether you appreciate it or not."

Again, Lotor did not reply, and his head only raised when he heard the door to the detention bay groan open. Dayak too glanced in the direction of the doors to behold Shiro and Allura making their way towards the prince's cell. However, to her surprise, the two paladins were accompanied by three faces she had not expected to see, each one having changed somewhat since their last encounter. Though no words left their lips, the fury, pain, and unease in their eyes spoke for them as they gazed straight past her into the cell where the source of their torment patiently waited for them to come closer.

Lotor's face remained stoic, but his throat started to swell shut beneath the burning gazes of Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid. Part of him had expected them not to show when he subtly planted in Allura's mind the idea to request his three former generals, his three former friends, to be a part of his escort for the trial, but there they stood, each one with seen and unseen scars that he was directly or indirectly responsible for. Standing face to face with them, the words that he had wanted to say to them suddenly seemed embarrassingly insufficient for the pain that he had brought them; perhaps calling for them had been a mistake. Nevertheless, here they were and he would not destroy what little pride he had left by cowering in the face of justified scorn.

"You came. I-"

"Don't." Zethrid growled through bared fangs, every muscle in her body drawn taut to the point that they ached. "This isn't some sappy reunion where you win us back over with more crafty lies. We're here to make sure that you don't weasel your way out of this."

He should have expected that answer, but Lotor's heart sank in his chest nonetheless. "I know, and I do not intend to insult your intelligence by trying. However, I have words that cannot go undeclared before I face my fate. You do not have to listen, but please allow me to say my piece nonetheless. Out of all the crimes for which I am guilty, one of my greatest regrets is the agony that I caused you, those who I considered my closest friendship. You did not deserve the pain that you suffered because of me; Narti did not deserve the pain she suffered-"

"Narti didn't suffer, you quiznaking piece of trash; you killed her in cold blood!" Zethrid roared, and if not for Ezor and Acxa grabbing her arms and holding her back, she would have thrown herself at the glass. "Stop pretending like you care! You never cared about us, and don't you dare insult Narti's memory by claiming otherwise! You're just saying all this so you can find some closure, but we are not going to let you have it! You hear me? We will _never_ forgive you!"

Lotor had hardly expected to be greeted with joyous compassion, but his heart recoiled back into his spine in response to the corrosive poison spewing from Zethrid's lips. However, some of the acid must have hit its mark because his heart began to sting as he analyzed a little more closely the fear, anger, and confusion emanating from the ones he claimed to hold dear.

"Ezor?"

His polychromatic former general, the one who had always had the child-like sense of wonder and optimism, violently shook her head before sharply turning her face away as tears began leaking down her cheeks.

"Acxa, please listen to me-"

"No. Just stop, Lotor. Please just stop."

He had thought that there was no part of him left to break, but in that moment, he was proved wrong as something inside him shattered, transforming his pain from an uncomfortable burn into an all-consuming storm of anguish.

The head of the once proud prince sunk down between his hunched shoulders in shame and despair, an astonishing sight for even the most hardhearted in his company. "I will not force you to endure my presence any longer then. Do what you came to do."

"Gladly." spat Zethrid.

Only Shiro and Allura actually entered the cell, their gazes flitting between Lotor and his three former generals who lined up to form a barricade blocking the only entrance. Allura was no fool and had been well aware that Lotor was trying to play her to his will when he brought up his generals as escorts, and even now when she had conceded to allowing their presence given their experience with him, she refused to wholeheartedly trust them or their contempt towards the man for whom they would have willingly given up their lives once upon a time. Then again, that same mentality could be used to argue that even Shiro, the one who was clapping on the prince's irons in that moment, could not be trusted given what Honerva had done to the cloned body that he now inhabited. What messes their lives were.

With a firm grip on Lotor's arm, Shiro hoisted him to his feet and led him out of the cell, the others immediately falling into their proper places around him. With the retired Black Paladin and Dayak at the head, Zethrid and Acxa covering the rear, and Allura and Ezor flanking the prince on either side, the somber parade began its march. Fortunately for them, the auditorium hosting the hearing was only a few moderately short hallways away, but no sooner had they rounded the final corner, they were forced to halt just before the large double doors due to someone standing in their path. Upon catching a glimpse of the person's face, all of Allura's innards constricted to form one giant, painfully tight mass at her core.

"You should be inside already. The proceedings are about to start."

"And miss a sight like this? Not a chance. Although, I must say that I am disappointed to see you three here still following at his heels. No matter how many times he hurts you, the loyal mongrels come racing back to their master's side the tick he calls for them."

Had Klara's presence not momentarily suspended their trains of thought, Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid would have reeled at the insult along with the third eventually lashing out, but they simply stood there in stunned silence as their minds were unable to process the sight in front of them. At the sound of her voice, Lotor regained some strength in his neck, his head snapping up in hopes of seeing a familiar sight only to behold a foreign one. If not for her wings and markings, he might not have recognized her at all. She had traded her purple halter top and flowy white pants for a set of dark armor, splashes of deep crimson breaking up the dark gray of the chestplate, arm guards, boots, and ovoid disks that hugged her legs. Her hair, including her long fringe, had all been pulled back into a high ponytail that was broken into sections by clasps of the same dreary gray as the rest of her attire, and on her forehead rested as ball of that material once again, hanging from a thin chain that had been tucked into her tresses. The only somewhat dull aspect of her appearance was the pair of midnight black pants beneath the armor on her legs, though upon closer examination showed indications of some kind of padding lining the inside.

During the rare lulls in excitement while fleeing from Zarkon, Lotor had speculated about Klara's fate, and though execution was the most probable contender, he did not accept the idea readily. Upon his ascension to the throne, he did set about investigating what had become of her in his free time, but as _other matters_ demanded more and more of his attention, his search was repeatedly demoted on his list of priorities until it became buried and forgotten. How foolish he had been to allow such a thing.

"Klara...you're alive…"

"Yes, I am. Sorry to disappoint you. Don't worry though; something tells me we won't have to put up with one another for long." Languidly tilting her head, Klara shot Dayak a pitying sneer. "You truly are a heartless bastard, Lotor. We both know that only one outcome to this trial will satisfy those you've wronged, and yet you allow the one person who still cares for you to fight a futile fight against an inevitable verdict when you could easily spare her that pain by sending her away-"

"Stay your tongue before you are humbled for your arrogance, child." Dayak spat, thrusting towards her and puffing herself up to her full size, and Klara, out of surprise or instinct, took a step back. "Underestimating your opponent, even if the odds are in your favor, is a novice mistake."

Wings erect and quivering, Klara took back the ground she had lost, bringing herself directly into Dayak's personal space as they remained locked in a fierce staredown, but the elderly Galra did not waver. "You should take your own advice. Whatever defense you've come up with, I promise you that it will crumble and you shall eat your words."

"That is for the jury to decide," Allura butt in as she brushed past Klara and pushed open the doors to the auditorium, "and if you are done hurling threats, we shouldn't keep them waiting any longer."

"Very well. Just remember that it was you and not me who hurried the prince to his demise when this is all over and you are looking for someone to blame." Spinning on her heels, Klara strutted towards the open doorway, stopping just before she crossed the threshold. "I would bid you good luck like a decent sport, but not even that can save you."

With that, she disappeared inside, and the doors to the auditorium suddenly seemed even more ominous than they had before.

______________________

"He deceived the last of the Alteans and drained their life forces away!"

"He attacked my people just after we regained our freedom, and one of his generals brainwashed me so that I would help him lure the paladins of Voltron into a trap!"

"Lotor was going against everything he had been taught regarding the brutality of the Galra, and moreover, he was desperate to restore the universe to a state of harmony. The combination of his ignorance and his fervent desire led him to make many poor choices, and there is not a quintant that goes by where he does not have regret for those ill-advised decisions weighing upon him."

"The few Alteans who were not used as batteries became soldiers for Honerva because of their blind loyalty to Lotor!"

"The prince cannot be held responsible for the crimes of his mother!"

"He betrayed us, his own generals! We trusted him and he killed Narti without a second thought!"

"He spoke of peace and kinship, but he did not even grant those the Galra conquered the choice of whether they wished to remain as a part of the empire or rule themselves."

"If Lotor had changed too much too quickly, he would have lost the support of the majority of the empire!"

"He planned to betray the Voltron Coalition from the very beginning! With the alliance gone, no one would dare threaten his rule!"

"Lotor worked alongside the Voltron Coalition because he yearned for peace; there was no selfish ulterior motive!"

"Tyrant!"

"Traitor!"

"Monster!"

The clamor was enough to reduce even the strongest of resolves down to microscopic debris, so there was some wisdom in Lotor's decision to banish any optimism from his mind as it saved him from additional embarrassment. Nevertheless, his feigned apathy did not protect his soul completely from the brutal onslaught of accusations, and as the tower of allegations continued to grow, some of them true and others mere fanciful fiction that couldn't be disproven, an unshakable anxiety gnawed away at him while he sat there at the front of the room, his head hung low. Not once did Dayak show any sign of weariness or dismay as she countered every claim, but even his iron-willed governess was bound to reach her limit soon despite the trial being far from over.

Occasionally, the prince snuck a glance at the jury, each member representing one of the many societies that made up the Voltron Coalition. Aside from a few faces that managed to conceal their thoughts from even his keen intuition, most of the representatives were easy to read, and judging by what he was able to gather from their expressions, the majority of the group was still very much against him. They didn't care that he too was a victim of Zarkon's tyranny and Honerva's torment. They didn't care that he regretted what he had done. All that mattered to them was finding someone whom they could punish for the suffering their people had endured at the hands of the Galra, whether he was specifically involved in each case or not.

As the most recent testifier found their seat, a murmur broke out amongst the crowd as had occurred each time there was a pause between testimonies until Kolivan, who was acting as judge alongside an elderly Olkari, motioned for silence with a stiff wave of his hand. When silence had once again fallen, he stooped down so that the withered woman could utter something in his ear before repeating her word to the audience.

"Two more testimonies remain. Representatives from The Crimson Retribution, please come forward and make your statements."

With a grand flourish of her wings, Klara sprang from her seat while the second witness hurriedly shuffled into the safety of her shadow, following closely behind the Lepidoptan as she marched down to the front and thus remaining concealed from Lotor's view by the aforementioned appendages. Only when she was standing directly in front of the jury did Klara exchange some words with her associate over her shoulder before locking eyes with the prince, and once he was ensnared in her stare, she allowed her wings to go slack and watched eagerly for his reaction to unfold, determined to enjoy every tick of it.

Lavender faded to bluish gray as all the warmth and life drained from Lotor's face, the cerulean tint to his skin becoming more and more prominent as he forgot how to breathe despite his mouth hanging agape. The woman huddled behind Klara was supposed to be no more than ash floating through the cosmos, but there she stood trembling and absentmindedly picking at the burn scars marring her left arm in an attempt to calm her nerves. Another chorus of whispers rose up from the crowd, but Lotor didn't hear a thing as he just stared at her, unsure of which emotion he should process first.

"Please state your names for the jury."

"I am Klara, queen of the Lepidoptans and leader of the Crimson Retribution."

"...I am Ven'tar, an officer of the Crimson Retribution."

"State your grievances against Prince Lotor."

Placing a hand on Ven'tar's shoulder, Klara gave it a tight squeeze and offered her a smile saturated with artificial sweetness and concern.

"I'll go first so you have some time to collect yourself, alright?"

Ven'tar gave a stiff nod and scuttled back a little, arms wrapped tightly around her as if to shield her from some invisible threat. Meanwhile, Klara flared out her wings once more, commanding the room like a true performer as she took to the center of the floor.

"It is common knowledge that my people, the Lepidoptans, are a peaceful race who typically keep to themselves, but not even we were spared from the treachery of the Galra Empire and Prince Lotor. His governess will try to convince you that I am to blame for the hostility between us because my crew and I pillaged several Galra bases and ships, but I assure you that it is the empire who struck the first blow when two of their officers murdered my father and grandfather for sport and carted off their wings as trophies! My people lost their king and my family was left in tatters, yet I am the one in the wrong for retaliating?!"

"Lotor had no part in those murders!" Dayak cut in, her blood already having reached a boil, "In fact, it was with his aid that you were able to recover those wings and hold a proper memorial for your lost patriarchs-"

"-after he had already enslaved my planet and put my men and I in shackles! My crew and I may have been guilty, but my people were innocent!"

"Your little excursion cast shame upon Lotor's name and raised doubts as to whether he could truly run the empire in his father's stead. He had to respond with necessary force to restore the Galra's faith in him."

"Necessary force?! He took my people's provisions simply because he could, not because the empire had any need for them! He had my comrades butchered in a battle arena for his soldiers' entertainment while I was forced to mop up their blood! He made me his personal servant so he could work me to exhaustion and toy with my mind until I felt like less than nothing! You dare suggest all of that was a display of necessary force?!"

When Dayak didn't answer this time, Klara stalked over to Lotor and waited for him to raise his head so that he could look her in the eye.

"Well, your highness? Were the things you did to me meant to win over your skeptics or were they intended to crush me because I posed a threat to you?"

"...I'm sorry."

She wanted to punch him square in the face. "Like hell you are. Let me guess, you're also sorry for sending that fleet to attack my village and killing the only family I had left along with many other innocents, aren't you?"

"What are you talking about?"

The urge couldn't be quelled a second time. A few startled gasps echoed from throughout the crowd as two members of Blade of Marmora lunged forward and yanked Klara back while Lotor cradled his now throbbing nose, dribbles of blood trickling down his upper lip until Dayak gave him a handkerchief to wipe them away.

"Get off of me!" Klara shrieked, ripping herself loose from the grasps of the two Marmorans and pushing them away. Taking a moment to massage her tender knuckles, she then turned her attention back to her audience, shock written on many of their faces.

"The universe will never be safe so long as Lotor is alive! He sang the same laments to me that he is filling your ears with now, and like a fool, I sympathized for him and allowed my guard to drop, unaware of the knife he was planning to wedge in my back! He pretended to be an ally who longed for peaceful coexistence, but when I still refused to relent to him and helped my friends escape at the expense of my own freedom, he showed his true colors by trying to massacre my village in return."

"You're lying! Lotor was pronounced a traitor to the empire and went on the run shortly after your crew's escape!" Dayak countered shrilly.

"The attack took place just before his exile! Who other than him had motive for trying to wipe out my people at that time?!"

"...Haggar." Lotor winced a little when he spoke as the stinging pain in his nose flared up again. "As you might recall, her and I had a rather fervid disagreement over the penalty you were to receive for your antics. I would not put it beyond her to take matters into her own hands while I was preoccupied."

Her lips twisting into an appalled smile of disbelief, Klara wildly flung her arm in Lotor's direction. "Ladies and gentleman of the jury, I present to you proof that there are no depths to which Prince Lotor will not sink! True, his mother was a witch in more ways than one, but how callous must _he_ be to blame her for his crimes when she is dead and thus unable to defend herself?!"

"Klara, I swear on my life that I did not raise a hand against your people!"

From their seats at the end of the backmost row nearest to the door, Zethrid and Ezor shared an afflicted glance before peeking over at Acxa, who was stoically watching the entire scene unfold. They didn't have to see it on her face to know that she was wrestling with the same thing that gnawed at them. They were Lotor's best chance at an alibi, but after everything he had put them through, why should they say anything at all?

"He's telling the truth." Acxa eventually blurted, rising to her feet as she tried to ignore Klara's scalding glare. "At least one of his core generals was with him at all times between the time of your fallout and his second exile. Aside from answering a summons from Zarkon himself, Lotor spent every waking moment overseeing the work on the Sincline ships."

"And which general accompanied him when he was summoned?"

"Narti."

"Narti, as in the one general who is also dead. How convenient." Klara's tone was cold, merciless, almost mocking as her sneer returned. "So Lotor could have given the order while in her company and no one would ever know-"

"You're wrong. Zarkon had taken back control of the empire by that point. Any orders Lotor gave would have been questioned if not completely disregarded."

" _You_ continued to stand by him, up until he killed Narti of course. It is really so impossible that there were others who still maintained some loyalty to him even after Zarkon reascended?"

"Yes. Zarkon would've eradicated anyone who even considered-"

"He let you live. You seemingly turned your back on Lotor when he accepted you back into his good graces, but he couldn't have known that you were acting as some sort of double agent."

Acxa was dumbfounded, and though she did her best to keep it from leaking onto her face, her silence betrayed her. However, just as Klara was heaving a satisfactory sigh, Dayak's shrill, nasal crowing grated against her eardrums once more.

"Your theory is an elaborate one, but you have no solid proof to back it. Without evidence, your story is just that: a story."

Klara's entire body went rigid other than her hands, which curled into fists so tight that her nails left indents in her palms. The two Blade of Marmora members who restrained her earlier shifted into a slight crouch, preparing to lunge at her again if she made a beeline for Dayak, but the Lepidoptan waved them off after taking a few deep breaths.

"I do have proof actually: Lotor's nature. My planet wasn't the first he left scorched after winning over the trust of its inhabitants, now was it?"

Dayak's eyes flickered between Klara and Ven'tar, and as the pieces clicked together, her face flushed red with rage. "Why you quiznaking little-"

"Ven'tar, are you ready?" Klara inquired in the same soft, fraudulent voice as before, approaching her companion and giving her shoulder another squeeze."

"...Yes." Her voice was barely more than a whisper and her lips trembled as she spoke, but nonetheless, Ven'tar carried her hunched form before the jury, her fingers still tracing the burns on her arm. She risked a glance at Lotor and Dayak only to immediately jerk her head away again, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

"Don't let him intimidate you, Ven'tar, not now." Klara pleaded as she slinked up behind her, her massive shadow enveloping the smaller alien. "Think of your people. Be strong for them."

Ven'tar's head bobbed in a quick, stiff nod before she cleared her throat, keeping her eyes glued to the floor instead of looking into the eyes of the jury members. "My planet was granted to Lotor as his first territory to oversee. He was unlike any of the other Galra we had encountered, and as he spent more time with us, we began to trust him. He convinced me that his people and mine could work together, and yet later on many of my people were massacred and our planet was destroyed. Whether he was lying to us from the beginning or came to a realization while working with us, Lotor knew that coexistence was impossible, and yet he continued to fill our hearts with false hope until it came time for the slaughter."

This time, it was Ezor who sprang from her seat and blurted out before she could think twice, "That isn't true! Lotor never fully got over what his father did to your planet, and the guilt he felt drove him to work even harder towards his goal of restoring peace to the universe! He never lied to you!"

Tears began to trickle down Ven'tar cheeks, her knees trembling so violently that Klara thought they might buckle and thus grasped her by the elbows to help support her.

"I can't do this. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Ven'tar. I can take it from here." Klara crowed, guiding her comrade over to the chair that one of the Blade of Marmora members brought out for her before setting her sights on Ezor. "You say that he didn't lie? That he actually cared? Why didn't he come back to look for survivors then? He was in exile, so it isn't like his father was stopping him!"

"The entire planet was obliterated in front of his eyes!" Acxa objected sharply, rising up alongside Ezor.

"As were Daibazal and Altea, yet the Galra and Alteans live on!"

"Okay, I've had just about enough of you!" Zethrid snarled as she loomed over her friends, meeting Klara's glare head on with her own fiery stare. "Lotor did a lot of horrible things, but he didn't trick Ven'tar people! If I were to take a guess, I would say that everything she said were ideas you put in her head in the first place!"

"Why do you keep defending him?!" Klara's wings began to beat wildly, blasting the audience members in the first few rows with waves of cool air. "You three said yourself that Lotor betrayed you and killed your friend Narti, and yet now you claim that I brainwashed Ven'tar into altering her testimony?! If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were trying to sabotage this hearing!"

"Why don't you come say that to my face, you quiznaking little wench?!"

"Enough!"

Many of the audience members clamped their hands over their ears as Kolivan's booming bellow echoed throughout the room. Whirling on Klara, his upper lip curled back in a grimace, his sharp canines glinting in the light.

"Make your closing statement and go sit down."

Swallowing the irritated scoff that she desperately wanted to spit in Kolivan's face, Klara dramatically drew in a deep, calming breath and allowed her wings to fold as she clasped her hands together and pressed them to her chest. "Members of the jury, Lotor is a monster. He has shed the blood of hundreds and tormented the hearts and minds of thousands. The universe will never truly be safe so long as he is alive, so I beg you to make the hard call and do what you know must be done."

No whispering broke out this time as Klara bowed before the jury and then strutted back to her seat with Ven'tar in tow. The air suddenly seemed very thin, and many found it hard to breathe as they shifted in their seats, glancing from one another to the jury and finally to Lotor and Dayak. The governess' mouth was hanging agape while Lotor curled in on himself as though he would be able to hide from the many eyes around him if he shrank himself down small enough. He thought he had prepared himself for such an assault but the excruciating stinging that branched out from his chest into the rest of his body told him otherwise. Perhaps, despite his adamant resistance, a little seed of hope had managed to plant itself in his heart and the agony he felt now was due to that hope dying, killing part of him with it.

At the wave of the Olkari mediator's hand, Kolivan stooped down so that she could whisper into his ear once more, and as she spoke, his lips pressed together into a tight line. Obviously, she wanted him to wrap things up so the jury could set about making its decision, but his gut seemed to be telling him something different.

"Are there any others at this time who wish to come forward to accuse or defend Prince Lotor?" Ignoring the disapproving scowl of his elderly companion, the leader of the Marmorans scoured the crowd for whoever his instincts were telling him still had something to say. When no one jumped out to him, he figured the person must need a little prodding; his instincts were, after all, rarely wrong. "This is the final call."

Allura's stomach was a mess of knots, and Lance, sensing that something was off, tried to slip his hand atop of hers to comfort her. However, before his fingertips could even ghost over her wrist, Allura was on her feet and making her way towards the stairs, holding her head high though worry screamed loudly in her ears. Fortunately, as she made her way to the floor, she caught a glimpse of Coran's warm smile beneath his bushy moustache, and like magic, her nerves settled somewhat.

"Make this quick, princess. Lotor's judgment has been delayed for long enough." the Olkari elder quipped sharply, her hoarse voice nearly breaking as she strained it in order to be heard.

"Of course." After giving the elder a slight bow, Allura collected the rest of her anxiety into her center with a deep breath and then released it into the air with a puff, clarifying her mind so she would not stumble. Before the fog could set back in again, she began.

"Klara made a point. Altea is indeed gone, but her people still live and thus can honor her memory by holding to her teachings and principles. Altea was no stranger to war or violence, but she did not relish in it either. Peaceful negotiations and mercy always predominated fighting and harsh punishments when possible, and when she did fight, Altea did so with the intentions of protecting itself and its allies." Allura's attention momentarily flitted over to Lotor, who still couldn't even raise his head, but somehow, she knew he was listening. "Lotor has done terrible things, but what will condemning him to death do? Will it bring back the loved ones we've lost? Will it restore our homes to their former glory? Will it truly bring us closure, or will it prove us just as ruthless as him and the empire? The war is over, but our gathering here today proves that the turmoil is not. This hearing has presented us with the choice to continue the strenuous cycle of bloodshed or break it and finally put this era of misery to rest for good. One choice can make all the difference, so I beg you, members of the jury, to let wisdom and empathy guide your decision instead of bitterness and hurt. That is all."

\------------------------

"Hey Pidge-"

"Lance, if you ask me one more time how many quintants we've been waiting for, I am going to hurt you."

She sounded more exhausted than annoyed, but knowing that a tired Pidge was just as dangerous as an angry one, Lance backed away slowly and plopped back down onto one of the benches in the auditorium lobby. Not a moment later, Allura whisked past him as she paced back and forth, lips pursed in a perplexed pout as her arms tightly hugged her middle. Before she could shuffled beyond his reach, Lance gently grabbed her by the arm, jostling her out of her daze. Glancing down into Lance's soft expression and reading the concern in his kind eyes, Allura sighed and sat down beside him, propping her chin atop her folded hands and closing her eyes as Lance began to gently rub her back.

"What you did in there was pretty brave and selfless. Lotor had better be thankful."

"I just felt like I had to say something, not for his sake but for the sake of what Voltron and this Coalition are supposed to stand for. I can't help but fear that my words made no difference though."

"I mean, the jury is definitely taking their time to make a decision. That has to mean something."

"I suppose."

Unfortunately, just as some relief had found its way into Allura's heart, Lance's fingers went stiff as the clop of armored footsteps rang in the princess's ears. She didn't need to open her eyes to know who was standing in front of her, but seeing as keeping them closed would not hold her foe at bay, she met Klara's smoldering scowl with an apathetic stare.

"That was a nice little speech you gave: stupid but nice. Of course, I can't help but wonder how much of your sympathy for Lotor stems from some lingering chemistry." Klara scoffed when Allura's face hardened into a glare. "Word gets around fast, Princess, and before you get upset with me, you should know that I'm not the only one who thinks so. Just something to keep in mind the next time you try pleading on the behalf of your ex."

Now it was Allura's turn to scoff. "You gloat as though you've already won, but I think you're concerned that the jury will rule in my favor."

"The only one who needs to be worried is you. Lotor will meet his demise; the only question is whether it shall be now or later."

"Do not pick fights you cannot win."

"It's a good thing I intend to win then."

Before any more threats could be tossed back and forth, the auditorium doors creaked open to reveal Kolivan and the Olkari elder looming just inside.

"The jury has reached a verdict."

In one fluid motion, the crowd began to stream back into the room, but before she merged with the masses, Klara shot Allura one final sneer.

"Good luck, and don't take any of this personally."

Once she had vanished, Allura subconsciously slipped her hand into Lance's and gave it a squeeze while the other paladins, all having overheard the conversation, looked at her expectantly.

"Let's go."

It took another good half a quintent to get everyone settled and several additional dobashes for the chatter to quiet down, which was a considerable improvement from the start of the trial. All of the jury sat like solemn statues except for Coran, who stood with a piece of folded paper tucked between his index and middle fingers, and though he made it quick as not to warrant any chastising from his peers, he flashed Allura a wink upon catching her eye before clearing his throat.

"The jury has made its decision." The dramatic flourish with which Coran unfolded the slip of paper did little to impress the audience. "Since a unanimous vote for condemning him to death could not be reached, it has been decided that Prince Lotor shall be incarcerated aboard the Atlas and placed under the watch of the Voltron paladins for the rest of his life."

There was no great uproar; in fact, the room was blanketed in an even more deafening silence than before. Not even Dayak made a noise as she threw her arms around Lotor and wept in relief while the prince stared at the far wall in a daze, still not quite processing what he had just heard. Allura wanted to rejoice, but instead, she whipped around in her seat only to barely catch a glimpse of Klara's shimmering wings as she slunk out of the room, foreboding clouds which warned of a coming storm rising in her wake.

\---------------

No one needed to ask how the trial had concluded; the outcome was clear as day on Klara's face as she boarded her ship. Still, once she had slithered her way up to the captain's chair and made herself comfortable, she cleared her throat and waited for all eyes to fall upon her.

"The Voltron Coalition has made its decision; they have chosen to bar our way in our quest for justice despite our warnings. Let's show them just how big of a mistake they've made. Send a message to the rest of the fleet and tell them to meet us at the rendezvous point; there's no point wasting any more time here."

While the rest of the crew sprang into action to prepare for departure, one figure stole through the crowd and up to Klara, easing himself down onto one of the arms of her seat while tucking his hand under her chin.

"You should go and rest for a bit, darling. All of this stress is going to ruin that pretty face of yours."

Biting back the urge to shudder, Klara pulled away from Sonan's touch without batting an eyelash, leading his smile to waver. "Are all the pieces in place?"

"Yes, darling."

"And our guest?"

Eyes glinting with mischief, Sonan reached over Klara with deliberate sensuality as he reached for one of the buttons on the inner side of the chair's other armrest. Once he has tapped into and moved out of the way, a small holographic screen appeared displaying an image of Ezor, who lay sprawled out on the floor of one of the ship's cells. Somewhere deep in Klara's heart, a twinge of guilt poked at her as she stared down at the girl, still immersed in the grip of whatever drug her men had used to quietly incapacitate her; however, the remorse was soon drowned out by Sonan, who waved the screen away after only a moment.

"If you are not going to rest, then we should at least practice. Leading a war is still no excuse for a sloppy wedding dance." he crowed as he took her hand, kissing it gently only to sharply jerk her to her feet thereafter.

Dozens of hot words danced on Klara's tongue as she glared up at Sonan, but she swallowed them with a few deep breaths and let him lead her away. The sooner she complied, the sooner she could return to her work, and the last thing she needed was a scene which would cast an unfavorable light upon her. They were at war, and she needed absolute, unwavering loyalty if she was to win this fight.


	36. Chapter 35

"Members of the Crimson Retribution, this is Princess Allura of the Voltron Coalition. If you are hearing this, please respond."

The princess's shoulders slumped as static echoed throughout the main deck. Her disappointment made no logical sense given that the Crimson Retribution had ceased all communications with the Coalition following Lotor's trial, but she supposed somewhere deep inside her, she still held out hope that they could peacefully resolve their differences.

"Members of the Crimson Retribution, this is Princess Allura of the Voltron Coalition. If you are hearing this, please respond."

Again, only static answered her, so with disheartened resignation, Allura closed the radio channel and rose from her seat. Coran, who had up until that point been lingering hesitantly in the shadows near the set of double doors at the back of the room, chose then to quietly approach her, his melancholy eyes clashing with the smile stretched beneath his bushy mustache.

"I can handle the rest of this matter, Princess. You needn't trouble yourself any further-"

"No, it's alright, Coran. I'm more than capable of dealing with this." Placing a hand on his shoulder, Allura offered her advisor a weary but warm smile to avoid any misconception of her being cross with him before brushing past and heading out the door. Once she was out of his sight, however, her hands began wringing themselves of their own accord while her mind obsessed over exactly how she was going to break the news, predictable as it was. The halls and stairs leading from the bridge to the reconstructed lounge, a bittersweet herald to yet another victim of Lotor's destruction, could've stretched on as far as the distance from one end of the universe to the other and it still wouldn't have been a long enough time for Allura. Unfortunately, her destination was actually a mere three floors down behind the first door to her right, and she had hardly blinked before she found herself standing at the threshold.

Inside the room, Zethrid was already on her feet, pacing back and forth across the floor with balled fists and clenched teeth. Acxa, meanwhile, sat hunched forward on one of the sofas, eyes closed and brows pinched together while her chin rested atop her folded hands as though she were engrossed in a desperate prayer. At the swish of the door, their attention snapped to Allura, who wanted nothing more than to shrink back beneath their gazes. Her lungs burned, filling with suffocating tension rather than sweet air, and without their support, she couldn't utter a sound. She didn't need to speak, however; as though reading her mind, Acxa's head sank once more, weighed down by the disappointment and fear swirling around inside.

"They didn't answer."

Allura visibly flinched; the sting of the words was even worse coming from the lips of another. "They did not. I'm sorry-"

Snarling, Zethrid drove her fist into the nearest wall, a portion of which gave way beneath her strength with a dry crunch.

"Zethrid-"

"Don't start, Acxa! Ezor is missing, and after four quintents, we still have absolutely nothing! She could be anywhere by now, assuming she's even still…"

She couldn't bring herself to say it. They had already lost Narti; the thought of losing Ezor as well was just too much.

"We are still waiting to hear back from a few of the scouts we dispatched as well as from several Coalition representatives." Allura chirped with a somewhat weary smile, eager to lighten the stifling atmosphere of the room. "Surely one of them will know something-"

"Stop! Stop pretending like you care!" Suddenly, Allura found herself ensnared in Zethrid's scorching glare as the latter stalked towards her as a predator cornering its prey. "You could be hunting those Crimson Bastards down, but you're more concerned about stepping on people's toes than finding Ezor alive!"

"Zethrid, I understand you're worried, but without proof, we can't-"

"Proof?! We three stood up against Klara at the trial, and in the end, she didn't get her way. Next thing we know, Ezor is gone and the Crimson Retribution has disappeared into thin air! How is that not enough proof for you?!"

"That isn't hard evidence-"

Zethrid's fist made contact with the wall for the second time, creating yet another indent, before she made for the door. "Asking for your help was a mistake. I'm going to look for Ezor myself like I should've done in the first place."

Allura's feet were already carrying her after Zethrid's fleeting form when she was jerked to a halt by Acxa clasping her shoulder.

"Let her go. She needs to clear her head before she can realize that working with the Coalition is our best chance at finding Ezor." Slipping past the Altean, the general paused in the doorway momentarily before departing as well. "She isn't wrong though, princess. I understand that you are apprehensive of another war breaking out so soon, but you need to consider that the choice may have already been made by someone else."

Left alone in the lounge, Allura drew her arms around herself, her head bowed as her mind played Zethrid's accusations and Acxa's cold rebuke on loop. The war against the Galra Empire had cost so many so much. Entire planets had been destroyed, and thousands had been forced to don the roles of displaced refugees or vanquished subjects. Was it truly so wrong of her to waver at the prospect of more fighting and bloodshed when so many were still recovering from the Galra's treachery, assuming they ever truly could?

Nonetheless, there was one point upon which Allura could agree with Acxa, although the idea robbed the air from her lungs and the warmth from her body. It was very likely indeed that, for all her worrying, the choice had already been made for her by another, and she was helpless to stop what was to come.

\-----------------------------------------

Time was a most curious thing . Instead of ticks, dobashes, and vargas, Lotor now found himself measuring its passing by the rhythms of his body and the routine delivery of meals that were surprisingly palatable given his circumstances; he supposed he had Hank to thank for that. Even with these new increments, however, his world had begun to lose its shape and certainty, his body, mind, and soul slowly succumbing to limbo's sweet siren song as he sat in his cell of fortified glass, tethered to reality only by the steady thumping of his heart in his chest. His thoughts were his only company as all the other prisoners had been swept away to some other prison wing before they could be swayed by his charms, and though once a blessing in which he took great pride, his mind proved a baneful curse left unchecked. That was the whole point of his sentence though, was it not: to remove all distractions and isolate him in this dark dungeon where he would spend his days replaying his sins over and over again in his head without relief? Perhaps Klara's demands for his death hadn't been so cruel after all.

The acoustics were perhaps the only aspect of his new home which Lotor could truly appreciate as they gave him some insight into his surroundings. An Altean mouse could sneeze in the farthest corner of the room and he would still hear it as clearly as if the little creature were perched on his shoulder, and likewise, visitors' footsteps always heralded their arrival as Allura's did now, ensuring that no one would be able to get the jump on him from the start of his sentence until whenever his miserable life came to its end.

Inclining his head ever so slightly, he studied Allura's face as she drew as near as she dared, and his natural curiosity was roused from dormancy when he noticed a fierce frigidity had replaced the usual calmness of her sapphire eyes.

"Something has happened." Pleasantries were superfluous at this point; better to get straight to the point and not waste his air.

"You admit that you know something then?"

"All I know is what's written all over your face, Princess."

While the existence of spiteful undertones in his words was debatable, Allura could already feel her blood starting to boil. "Ezor hasn't been seen or heard from since your trial. Coincidentally enough, Klara and her confederates have also disappeared without a trace."

If she hadn't known what to look for, Allura would've entirely missed the little changes in his otherwise impassive expression which hinted at his true state of mind: the slight puckering of his lips, the faint wrinkling of his brow. Was Lotor actually perplexed? So focused was she on studying him that she did not notice him studying her in return, scrutinizing over her own involuntary mannerisms in hopes of deciphering what she was thinking.

"You are more than capable of piecing together such an obvious conclusion yourself, Allura. What do you need that only I can give you? We both know all too well that you wouldn't be down here if you could obtain what you desire from another source."

Even locked away behind a barrier of the strongest and thickest glass, he was still an unnerving foe, but Allura dug her heels into the floor beneath her, refusing to yield even an inch of her ground. "I need information. You are going to help me fix this by telling me everything you have on Klara."

A dry, sorry excuse of a chuckle puffed from Lotor's lips and the faintest traces of a smirk flickered along the corners of his lips before he thought wiser and suppressed his mild amusement; however, his reaction did not go unnoticed by the princess, her face darkening while the air around her rippled from the sizzling heat radiating from her skin.

"You're humored by this, are you? Tell me, what is so hilarious about your former friend losing her freedom because she stood up for you?"

The laugh had truthfully been a self-deprecating one, but Allura's already bountiful scorn for him rendered any defense on his part utterly ineffective and pointless. "I'm sorry, Princess, but I can be of no help to you. I knew Klara as she once was, not as she is now. If any remnant of her former self still lives, it is buried away deep within her where you have no hope of reaching it."

"You cannot know that for sure. If you have anything with even the smallest potential of being helpful to us, you need to tell it to me now!'

Another laugh puffed from Lotor's lips, this one more defined, curt, and actually aimed at Allura this time. "If you were truly willing to do _anything,_ Princess, you wouldn't be down here talking to me; you would be out hunting Klara down until she has nowhere left to run. Do not toss around such an absolute so carelessly lest you find yourself someplace you really don't want to be."

"I didn't come here for a lecture, Lotor; I came to you for answers! If you have even an ounce of remorse for the things you've done, you will tell me whatever you know this instant instead of continuing to waste precious time!"

It may have been decaphoebs, but to Lotor, it still felt like little more than a movement ago that he had been quietly admiring Allura for her many queenly properties, including her determination. Even now as he found himself in the role of an obstruction marring her path, he could not bring himself to belittle her as obstinate or difficult but rather found he was still in awe of her tenacity. It didn't require much effort on his part to imagine how poorly Allura would react once she had the information she sought, but seeing as she would hold him in this deadlock until she got her way, his best option was to relent and cease pushing off the inevitable. What did it matter if Allura had one more reason to despise him?

"As you have likely observed yourself, Klara possesses a will of magnificent strength and resilience; she is not unlike you in that way, Princess. During our time together, I came to understand that direct attacks against her were a waste of effort as she found the strength to endure every trial thrust upon her. What brought her to her knees before me was not her own suffering but rather the persecution of those for whom she held herself responsible, those whose suffering was rooted in their ties to her. If you wish to subdue her, my humble experience suggests that striking the body instead of the head offers you the best chance of success."

Just as he expected, Allura's face was a bloom of abhorrence as she abruptly recoiled from him. It was as if she believed that she could flee beyond the reach of him and his heinous nature, thus preserving the perfect purity of her heart and head. However, his words had slithered beneath her defenses and made themselves at home in some dark corner of her being the moment they took flight from his lips, and whether or not she chose to heed their whisperings, there was no way for her to ever completely eradicate the idea from her mind now.

"I tried to warn you."

To say Allura was regretting her dismissal of Coran's offer was an understatement. It was all so much: Acxa's and Zethrid's poignant rebukes, Lotor's callous proposition, the looming threat of an enemy she still knew so little about. Perhaps she had gone somewhat soft since the end of the war for the escalating pressure was threatening to overwhelm her. She needed time and space to think, to sort through and make sense of everything that had been thrown at her within just the last few vargas without being scrutinized and nagged for answers she did not yet have.

"...Thank you for your honesty." Turning her back to him, she urged her feet to move but they remained planted where they were, tethered down by a force not entirely under her control. She had one last question, and though her heart begged her not to ask it, her curiosity promised to hold her there until it had been appeased. The last thing her already frayed wits needed was more information to process, but she had to know.

"I may not know everything that happened between you and Klara, but I would have to be a fool not to detect the traces of a scorned woman's wrath woven in with the other motives of her vendetta. Did you care for her as well or did you merely play along to make her more compliant?"

Lotor was completely silent, and when Allura glanced back at him, she noticed rueful sadness had dampened his eyes.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but based on all that I have heard, your relations with Klara went sour not long before you were declared a traitor by Zarkon and joined our ranks shortly thereafter, yes?"

"...Yes."

She didn't want to look at him, but she had to see his eyes to know if he was being truthful with her. "What was I to you then? Did you actually care for me or was I just an immediate source of relief and distraction for your battered heart?"

The long, retrospective pause that followed was eventually broken by the crackling of intercom static and the boom of Shiro's baritone bark.

"Paladins of Voltron, report to the bridge immediately. I repeat, Paladins of Voltron, report to the bridge immediately."

Allura did not move; she needed an answer.

"What was I to you?"

"...I do not know." It wasn't much of an answer, but it was the truth and all Lotor could give. "Perhaps that is for the better."

"How could that possibly be for the better?"

"If I don't know the answer, I can't hurt you with it."

"Just when I thought you could sink no lower." Through with wasting her time, Allura shook her head and stalked back the way from which she had come, leaving Lotor alone with his thoughts once more.

\------------------------------------------------

There was supposed to be a planet somewhere in front of them. However, as the IGF-Atlas emerged from its wormhole, it was greeted by expanses of inky darkness broken only by spatterings of stars. As far as they could tell, they were the only source of life for miles.

"This isn't Kythra."

"Gee, you don't say? And here we all were thinking the planet had turned itself invisible! You're a genius, Keith!"

"Lance, don't start." A quick survey of the many faces scattered across the bridge multiplied the sinking feeling in Shiro's gut by at least tenfold; no matter where he looked, he saw unsettling expressions of collective confusion worn by some of the most brilliant minds he had ever met. "Somebody figure out what just happened here! We've got pirates rampaging on Kythra without a care for who might get hurt and not a moment to lose!"

The air erupted with frantic chatter and digital chirping as technicians scurried about and clustered together around various stations of the ship's dashboard, each group silently pleading for their area of expertise not to be the source of the issue while also booting up their problem solving skills in the backs of their minds in case it was.

It was Iverson's voice that finally rang out above the rest of the noise. "All the ship's diagnostics are coming back normal. The coordinates system is being rebooted and the location will be reentered as an extra precaution."

"How long is that going to take?"

"Not long."

"Make it quicker."

"Um, I'm all for the whole turning-it-off-and-back-on-again method, but this seems like a pretty big malfunction for just some overloaded software." Hunk piped up, a few beads of sweat glinting on his brow. "Maybe you should run those diagnostics again just to be sure-"

"We don't have time. We can look into it further once the tribes of Kythra are safe again." Allura cut in sharply, her nerves still somewhat frayed from her visit with Lotor. "Make the jump as soon as you can, Commander."

"Readying the teladuv now."

In the blink of an eye, another portal had opened before them, the light and the darkness swirling together into a whirlpool of stardust. A resonant purr rumbled throughout the Atlas as it chugged forward, and a few of the less coordinated crew members locked their knees or grabbed onto the nearest anchored object for support when the ship gave a sharp lurch as it was sucked into the wormhole's maw.

"Paladins, get to your Lions and be ready to take off on my signal! Iverson, round up the MFE pilots; I want them on standby in case these pirates pack a particularly nasty punch!"

Lance, Keith, Allura, Pidge, and Hunk had hardly made it to the door before the wormhole spat the Atlas back out again, and an ominous hush fell once again as more empty space stretched out before them.

"Sir, the coordinates system malfunctioned again! The numbers are completely scrambled!"

Shiro's attention shifted over to the paladins who had all ceased in their tracks and were now staring at him expectantly, his gaze eventually settling on Allura in particular. The princess's abnormal agitation had not escaped his notice, and just a brief survey at her rigid face, clenched muscles, and hard eyes warned clear enough that she was on the verge of bursting if something was not done to alleviate the pressure swelling up inside her.

"Take the MFE pilots and go on ahead of us. Fixing whatever is wrong with the coordinates system is going to take some time, but the citizens of Kythra need help now. We'll call ahead if we're able to make the repairs in time to provide additional backup."

Without missing a beat, the paladins were off with Allura sprinting just a little faster than the rest as they made for the hangars. As they ventured beyond his line of sight, worried whispers nipped at Shiro's ears, but in an instance, he brushed them aside and returned his attention to the matter at hand, the matter that was his immediate responsibility to address.

\----------------------------------------------

Damaged buildings. Flashes from firing blasters. Clouds of disturbed sand. Angry shouts. Frightened screams. These were the sights and sounds the paladins and the MFE pilots were expecting to greet them as they descended upon Kythra's vast but still fairly humble capital, so when cheering rose to greet their ears from a large crowd gathered near the center of the city, they were confused to say the least.

"Um, I don't see any pirates. Do you guys see any pirates? Because I don't see any pirates." Hunk rambled nervously, having obviously convinced himself yet again that the threat would spring upon them from some unseen place and scare him half to death.

"MFE pilots, give us some aerial cover and keep your eyes peeled for any trouble. We're heading down." Keith felt stupid even as he gave the command; from what he could observe, the only ships in the area were their own. Still, there was no harm in being cautious, for just because the fight seemed to be over didn't mean the danger had truly passed.

Guiding their ships into a gradual dive, the paladins set down at the edge of the crowd, which they soon noticed had ceased in its revelry in order to stare back at them with less than pleased expressions.

"So they weren't cheering for us?" Lance frowned as he and the others descended from their ships, his voice sporting more notes of hurt and disappointment than confusion. "What's all the excitement about then?"

"We are rejoicing over our deliverance from our attackers by another when you, our protectors, left us to fend for ourselves." Some of the natives gracefully glided apart so their leader, a being towards the latter end of middle age with some of if not the largest fans of ear feathers out of the whole group. The aura of indignation radiating from the others seemed to conjoin within him, multiplying its potency more than tenfold so that even Allura in her state of heightened passion struggled with an innate urge to cower.

"We did no such thing," she retorted with a dash of heat while holding the Kythran's gaze. Her fury quelled somewhat, however, as Lance slipped closer to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, an understanding passing between them without a need for words. "Our main ship is experiencing some technical difficulties with its teladuv, so we had to fly all the way here ourselves."

"My people were under an attack which we could not withstand on our own, and we were relying on you to help us. Had the Crimson Retribution not intervened when they did, many of our most vulnerable surely would've-"

"The Crimson Retribution saved you?!" Allura cut in, pulling loose from Lance's grip as her ferocity reignited. "Are they still here?!"

"No, they took the pirates prisoner and left a short while ago."

"Did they say anything about where they were headed?!"

"No, they did not. Even if they had, I'm not sure that I would tell you. We owe them a great debt." Having apparently had his fill of Allura, the leader turned to Keith and stooped in a very shallow bow. "We thank you for coming all this way despite your _technical difficulties_ , but the citizens of Kythra are no longer in need of your services for the time being."

"Fine then. We won't keep you from your festivities any longer." Spinning on her heel, Allura stormed in the direction of her lion without so much as a glance behind her to make sure her teammates were following. "We've already wasted more than enough time here. If we hurry, maybe we can pick up on the Retribution's trail before they vanish again. Let's move!"

Lance was the first to trail after her and was soon followed by the others, their shoulders sagging and their heads held low as their dragging feet kicked up sand around them.

"Why does it feel like we just got majorly played?" the usually spirited paladin mumbled with surprising melancholy.

Pidge was the one to answer him. "Because we did, Lance. I don't know how, but they played us and they played us good."


End file.
